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Name: |
" Carmelita Ruffin " |
D.O.B: |
2/11/1945 |
D.O.D |
05/13/2022 |
Country From: |
Grenada |
State /
Parish: |
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Place of Death |
Queens
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Service Date |
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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
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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 |
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[20469]
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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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