Beard-Johnson, Maisha

Miss Dora was a woman of God. In her 93 years she touched countless lives with her love and wisdom! Her love for life and sweet spirit lives on in her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. COVID was the only thing Miss Dora couldn’t conquer. God needed her to reset in the sweet glory of heaven. She is missed terribly. Knowing she  is with her lord and heavenly savior eases our pain and makes the sun shine again after a dark, stormy and trying year.

My Brother Lenny was the kindess sweetest Guy, he is missed and remembered everyday, we will miss him and love him until we meet again in heaven Rest in peace my brother.

Our mother – the sweetest woman you will always remember and know. A sad and sudden passing to a mother of 6 children who will miss her dearly…

In remembrance of our brother

My friend of more than sixty years… I can’t believe you’re gone.

Thurman was a loving husband, father and brother. His passing left a huge void in our family and we will miss him dearly. We made lots of memories over the years and we will keep them close to our hearts forever. See you on the other side Thurman. We love you.

Barbara Ann, as she would come to be known as, was born in 1934. She grew up in Rochester and lived on Sheppler Street with her parents, and younger brother, Eddie. Her parents worked at Kodak and were rarely home. Mom was pretty much the maid, cook and parent to Eddie. They were inseparable. Mom took care of him like he was her own.

She attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Nazareth Academy. She started working at a young age in her uncle’s grocery store. From there she worked at Kodak for 13 years in the travel department and did some modeling for them as well. This is where she met my father. After they were married, she became a stay-at-home mom. She did return to the workforce later in life and we both worked at Whelpley and Paul Opticians.

My mother was loved by so many. She always knew how to brighten someone’s day and make them feel loved. She treated everyone with kindness and respect. She rarely got mad and when she did, you knew she had a darn good reason! Her outlook on life was inspiring. If you were lucky to spend more than five minutes in her presence, you were forever changed. I am so grateful to have had a mother who embraced each day with optimism.

My mother went through a lot in her life. She definitely deserved a lot better hand than the one she was dealt. She was diagnosed with dementia over 10 years ago. She was tenacious but Covid was no match.

She was the strongest person I have ever known and I mean mentally and physically. She was the kindest, most loving person there ever was. As her daughter, I feel like I grew up with the most incredible role model who taught me to always be myself and to always try my best. She said that is all you can do. I will miss her smile, her hugs, her laugh, her advice, and her happy-go-lucky personality. I know I will miss her every day for the rest of my life.

On Wednesday, November 25, 2020, Elrita “Rita” McClary Warren, gained her wings due to acquiring COVID-19 while she was hospitalized. She was 71 and a native of Kingstree, South Carolina.

Our family was our mother’s passion. She was always guiding us, fighting for us, and living for us each day. Her love for her children and grandchildren was boundless; and, she had plenty of love leftover. As my sister, Yantise always said, ‘our mother never met a stranger.’ Whether in the grocery store or at church, our mother always had a kind word, and she loved to grow her circle of friends.

Our beloved mom is survived by my sister Yantise Jenkins and me; our spouses Bernard Jenkins and Timothy Granison; five grandchildren; Christopher Jenkins, Collin Jenkins, Caleb Jenkins, Necollia Jenkins, and Taylor Granison; her goddaughter Vanessa Stanley; and a host of siblings, nieces, nephews, friends and loved ones.

We love and miss you, Mom!

Lovely and Yantise – Rita’s Girls