Dear Maxton Family,

     I'm sending you all my deepest sympathy and prayers during this challenging loss of your brother, uncle, friend, Reggie. We met 56 years ago at Antioch College at a financial aid meeting. We were the proud and blessed parents of our incredible daughters Ashindi and Azya and grandparents to Azania, now 21. I was blessed to get to know you in 1969 when I lived in the old house on Hale Ave in Avondale to take care of the children when Reverend Maxton, whom I had met on previous visits and adored,  was in the hospital. Michelle was about three, and Michael not much older. Beautiful Theresa was witty and helpful. Both were adorable Calvin was a stoic, fun pre-teen, and Greg was the smooth, dapper older brother. Gail was always very kind to me as she struggled as a young mother.  I'll never forget meeting DeCarlo as a tiny baby with the most beautiful eyes and countenance. Bird was a character who made us laugh.

Chelle and Michael made a few road trips to Wisconsin to visit my family, and they loved you very much. Thanksgivings at Gail's in Dayton were  always fun as we all brought food and then played board games. Do you remember the year with the bad blizzard in Columbus? Driving was impossible, but I made the turkey, sides, pies, and a coconut cake for Mama and sent it by Greyhound to Cincinnati. I can't believe we made it to the Greyhound station in our old Bonneville with no hood, but we did!

We were grateful for the visits to our homes in Springfield and Columbus from Michael, Michelle, Theresa, De Carlo, and Jay Bird. We always had fun.

      I am grateful to Reggie for many wonderful things that he gave to our daughters: a love of good music (jazz, blues, R & B), a passion for revolutionary activism and the skills to make a difference in the community and the world, a love of reading, an abiding love for the underdog, those struggling with poverty, addiction, oppression), a love of nature and the outdoors, the gift of being able to make long lasting friends and to be a friend who is there when you need them, the ability to think critically, analyze , and create something new for the betterment of society, and example of endurance and overcoming, and the confidence and security  that comes from knowing that you have a father who loves you deeply, unconditionally, and eternally and was so proud of you.

Grief is so complicated and makes life so challenging. It lasts much longer than we expect. I pray deeply every day for Reggie, and for you all =.that Divine Mother will keep you strong and lift you above the sadness, comforting you in the knowledge that you had a father, brother, uncle who loved you and cared for you and will be watching over you from the astral forever. I love you all so much.

With the deepest, abiding love,

Sally 

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Uncle Reggie was my mother, Gail, oldest brother. She looked up to her older brother. When I was young we would go to Springfield and visit with him and his family. When they moved to Columbus my brother and I went there and visited. As I became a high school and later collegiate athlete our relationship became very close because we shared a love for sports. It was very special to me when I would look in the stands at the High School State Championships, the University of Toledo and later post collegiate meets and see my uncle in the stands. At any meet he attended I ran extra hard to receive an award which I always presented to my uncle as a token of my appreciation that he came to my meets. Throughout our lives I never called a man father and he never called a boy son. But I realized over the years that I became the closest thing he had to a son and he became the closest thing I had to a father. For that I am eternally grateful to have an Uncle who treated me like a son. I was very proud of him and he was very proud of me. To my cousins Ayza and Ashindi no man will ever love you to the depths that your father loved you. He love you both as deep as the Mariana Trench to as high as Mt. Everest. 

Love Your Cousin/Brother

DeCarlo

With deepest condolences to Ashindi and Azya, her daughter and  granddaughter , Reginald’s siblings ,nieces ,nephews other relatives  and loved ones in this sad time, I am praying for all of you to have the strength to get through this difficult time. 

With all my heart and prayers for peace,

Pamela A. Mackey