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Name:  " Carmelita Ruffin "
D.O.B:  2/11/1945
D.O.D  05/13/2022
Country From:  Grenada
State / Parish:  
Place of Death  Queens
Service Date
05/23/2022 @ 6:00pm

Details:

Viewing for Carmelita Ruffin will be held on Monday
May 23rd,2022 from 6pm-7pm followed by funeral service at 7pm located at St.Francis of Assisi RC
Church Brooklyn NY

Special Info  Carmelita Ruffin was born and raised in the village of Birchgrove in St. Andrew’s, Grenada. She was the last of three daughters born to the late Peter “Vivi” Ruffin and Veronica “Annie” Ruffin. She was given the name Carmelita as a tribute to her big sister Carmel. She was in fact little Carmel. But the name Carmelita proved to be too many syllables for the nieces and nephews she would help raise for her older sister, so she became “Tanty Lit,” not just in the house but to the entire family and extended Birch Grove community. Carmelita was fiercely independent, private, fashionable, well-read and a budding poet. She kept a meticulous wardrobe of beautiful dresses, shoes, purses, and hats, and was adept at figuring out if anything was moved from her impeccable room, long before she returned to do the inspection. Her hair, too, was legendary; thick and beautiful and she made her care for it, a major part of her routine. She entered beauty competitions in Grenada, and won, but her true love was in teaching, in the classroom in Byelands RC School, and at home. She spent extra hours to teach her nieces and nephews, cousins and her friends’ children, math, history, and English composition. She also helped, like all her siblings, with the family business of farming and running the grocery store, a sort of early fixture in the community, as it was near the school and church. Carmelita grew closest to her sister Helen Ruffin, who preceded her in death just one month ago. They were inseparable; the best of friends and the formidable team that aided their older sister in caring for all her children. When they migrated to the United States, it was to continue to care for their sisters six children, with most being young adults, when their arrived in Brooklyn. It was a lifetime of dedication and love to save their older sister and plan a future for her children. They always lived together, prayed together, laughed, and talked into the late hours and never seem to argue or fussed about anything with each other. They protected and cared deeply for each other. Their bond was threatened at the onset of the pandemic as by now they were living in separate care facilities. It was hardest on Carmelita, who was still able to visit Helen often. It was her source of joy. Carmelita’s love for fashion brought her a position as a salesclerk in fashion retail. She loved working for the Lee family in their boutique in Harlem. She also loved the vibrancy of the neighborhood and enjoyed helping the ladies pick their Sunday best with her guidance. She wrote the book on generosity and started shopping for Christmas gifts the day after Christmas to be on time the next year with a gift for close to one hundred people on the list: saying just a little something for everyone. In the end, losing her sister Helen was just too much for her. It broke her heart and her spirit. We pray that their reunion is the most joyous. Carmelita Ruffin, our beloved Tanty Lit, we will miss you deeply. She leaves to mourn her sister Maria Farray, her brothers Francis Ruffin, Justin Farray, Derrick Farray, and Nugent Smith. Her sisters-in-law Catherine Ruffin, Gwendolyn Ruffin, Stella Ruffin, Agnes Ruffin, Helen Farray, and Shelia Smith. Nieces Yvonne Noel, Yvette Noel-Schure, Yoland Marva Noel-Ugorji, Jean Noel, Erma and Marilyn Farray, Nicole Ruffin, Kira, Vanessa and Karen Ruffin, Candy and Carol Smith, Gale, Alpha, Jeanette, Jaclyn, June, Sherlyn, Belinda and Earlyn Farray. Her nephews include Trevor and Denzil Noel, Raffie Farray, Devon Ruffin, Linzy, Valon and Lindon Farray and a host of grandnieces and grandnephews including Zaneta Thomas, Tichina Noel, Trevor Noel, Jr., Denzil Noel, Jr., Leon Noel, Michael, Micah and Milan Schure, Simone Hutchinson and Kaya and Oluchi Ugorji. She will also be missed deeply by her cousins including the Charles, Celestine, Lewis, St. Hillaire, Frederick, Berkley, Wilson, and Wall families. And the community of Birch Grove including the Gittens, Belmar, Von Wyler and Antoine families. Carmelita will reunite with her parents, Vivian and Annie Ruffin, her sisters Carmel Noel, Helen Ruffin, her brothers Denis, Willis and Diony Ruffin, her nephews Gary Ruffin, Rhoden Ruffin, Lincoln Farray, and Aubrey Ruffin-Noel. Her aunt Vicky Charles and her cousins Rita Wall, Germaine Charles, Martin Charles and Cossil Lewis. We long for them

[20469]
 
 
yvette and the rest of the family: my family and i are so sorry for your loss. may she rest in eternal peace
EARLA M LEWIS
BRANDON, FL [5/24/2022]

 
   

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