My Aunty Ritha was a very strong and special person. Growing up I didn’t get to see her that often but I really looked forward to the times that she would be around and would be grateful for all times we did get to spend with her during my childhood. She would always greet my sisters and I with “Hello my beautiful nieceys!” When we would talk to her on the phone should would always let us know that she was proud of us and that she loved us. Aunty Ritha was always promising to buy us gifts. She was always saying she was going to buy us these Nine West books and jewelry. We never got them but the sentiment was there. We knew she loved us.

After her unfortunate accident, I got to connect with her a lot more. She would call to ask “Where is your father?! Why is my baby brother not answering my phone calls?” Other times she would call to ask how I was doing. When we had the family reunion she was constantly calling to make sure she could help in anyway she could. One time she called to snitch to my parents on me because I was a bartender at a baseball stadium. I called her this time and said, “Why did you tell on me?! They already knew?” She said she told on me because she didn’t want me around strange men. She was a protector and wanted to make sure I was safe. I really wish I could have known that true East Cleveland Aunty Ritha who I could call to fight some of my battles. But she did what she could for me from a distance.

I have never been to Cleveland so much than I have in the last 6 years. There were some very interesting times and conversations riding around the city with her. I got to hear her perspective on some things and a lot of her opinions. She definitely had a lot of opinions on everything and every one. Her and my dad would have their big sister and lil brother arguments. And when my dad would get out the car, Aunty Ritha would turn around and ask me, “Tam, what you think?” I tried to let her know that we just wanted her to be ok. We would end our trips by getting some food and she would always want something so nasty to me like a hot dog or a filet o fish with a vanilla milkshake. One time we did end up getting Cheesecake Factory! It was hard seeing her how she was and we would spend a lot of time as a family trying to come up with solutions to make her feel better. Sometimes it would make me cry because she would so much like my Grandma Barbie in the nursing home but I know they are both getting the rest they deserve. Aunty Ritha, you fought long and hard.

I love you and I miss you,

Your Niece Tammara