Ellen Wright December 29, 1931 – December 31, 2018 Share this obituary Sign Guestbook| Send Private Condolences Ellen Wright, the matriarch of our family, received her wings on the morning of December 31, 2018 at the age of 87. Our beloved Ellen, called “Sissy” by some, was born on December 29, 1931 in Norfolk, Virginia. She was the daughter of Linsey Carrington (Dick) and Adlay Lane Carrington from Norfolk, Virginia.
Ellen was the second oldest of seven siblings, six of whom are deceased. The deceased include: Calvin Lane Carrington, Charles Lee (Charlie Boy) Carrington, Adlay Carrington Jones (Little Adlay), Annie Mae Carrington Clark, Richard Carrington (‘Little Bro’ who died at an early age), and Stephen Lynn Carrington. Gwendolyn Richardson is Ellen’s only surviving sister.
Cherishing Ellen’s loving memories and mourning her absence are her two sons and their partner/spouse: Richard Wright, Jr. and Ilene Barnes and Jamel Wright and his wife Twinique. Ellen’s daughter, Sharon Wright preceded her mother to Glory on February 5, 2018. Also, left to mourn Ellen’s absence and to cherish her memories are her grandchildren: Richard Wright, Denzel Wright, Isaiah Wright and John Tolbert-Wright; Rodney Bruton; Jamel Wright, Jr., JabrilWright, and Shelby Ellen Wright.
Ellen is also survived by her second daughter-in-law, Lelar Wright. Beloved Matriarch As the matriarch of our family, Ellen descended from several important family members who connect us all together. Ellen’s maternal grandparents were Annie (Big Ma) Butler Lane Brothers and Granville (Grant) Lane, both originally from Mackeys Ferry and Roper, North Carolina.
Her three maternal aunts (all deceased) were her mother’s sisters: Mabel Lane Spence, Elizabeth (Lizzie) Lane, and Wilma Lane Poole. Ellen’s maternal great grandparents on her mother’s side (Big Ma’s parents) were Josephine Green Butler and Isaac Downing from Mackeys Ferry, NC. Her paternal grandparents on her father’s side were Charles Carrington and Sadie Carrington, both from Campostella, VA.
Ellen’s oldest first cousins, Henry Addison Spence and his sister, Elsie Mae Spence Renie, (both deceased) were the children of Ellen’s aunt Mabel Lane Spence (Ellen’s mother’s sister). Ellen’s other first cousins include Andrew and Sam Poole (both deceased) who were the children of Ellen’s other aunt, Wilma Lane Poole. Ellen’s Life Ellen was born and partly raised in Norfolk, Virginia.
In 1940, she left Norfolk with her parents, older brother, Calvin, and younger sister, Annie, to join her other older siblings who were already living in Harlem, New York. She attended P.S. 157 in Harlem and Mabel Dean Bacon Vocational, H.S. in lower Manhattan. Later, Ellen met and dated, Richard Wright, who was born in New Jersey.
On June 20, 1953, they were married and had three children: Richard Wright, Jr., Sharon Wright, and Jamel Wright. Ellen was a devoted mother who raised her children as a single parent after the death of her husband in 1970. Throughout her life, Ellen was also devoted to her mother and father, Adlay and Dick, as well as to her siblings, nieces and nephews.
Ellen worked for over 30 years as a dietician in the Food Services Department of New York Presbyterian Hospital. She was known as a kind, gentle and gracious person who was well-loved by everyone who knew her. There wasn’t anything that Ellen would not do to help anyone or every one.
Ellen was on both the Mother and Deaconess Boards of the East Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Harlem, pastored by Bishop Philip Crichlow. Ellen’s longtime friends who will also cherish her memories and mourn her absence include: Vivian Bell, Marie Collins, and Selena Smalls.
Nieces, Nephews, Cousins, and Extended Family Ellen leaves cherished memories to a host of nieces/nephews, spouses, cousins, extended family, and friends. From her sister Adlay Carrington Jones, her nephews/niece and their spouses include: Jerome and Cassandra Jones, Julian and Regina Jones, John (Mackie) (deceased) and Beverly Jones, Charles and Vanessa Jones, Eric and Vivian Jones, Sherri Jones Forsett and Michael Forsett. From her sister Annie Carrington Clark, her nieces include: Frederica Clark, Elaine Clark Milline, Eva Clark, Tanya Clark, and Lisa Clark Greene.
From her sister Gwendolyn and Julius Richardson, her nieces/nephew include: Julie, Joy, Troynell, and Julius Jr. Richardson. From her brother Calvin Lane, her nephew includes: William Anthony (Billy); from her brother, Charles Lee (Charlie Boy) and wife Florence, her nieces include: Ellen (II), Charlene, and Patricia. From her brother, Stephen, her nieces/nephew include: Stephanie, Ashley, and Stephan.
Ellen also had two god-children: Julie Richardson and Robert (Lelar Wright’s nephew). Ellen’s first and oldest cousins were Henry Addison Spence and Elsie Mae Spence Renie. All of Henry Addison Spence’s children are also Ellen’s cousins.
They include: Henry Addison Spence, Jr. (deceased), Patricia Ann Spence, Robert Spence, Delores Spence (deceased), Jerry Spence all from New York; Edris Spence, Linda Spence, Tina Spence (deceased), Edward (Eddie) Spence, and Tracy Spence Banks, all from Florida, as well as Henry Dixon (deceased). Extended family members also include the family of Victoria Renie Spence, first wife of Henry Addison Spence and her sisters: Doris Renie Cooley and Marghuerite (Pinky) Renie Frazier, as well as Pinky’s children: Marion Frazier, Vicki Frazier Ellison, Marlene Frazier Schrengost, and Michael Frazier (deceased). Through her great grandfather Isaac Downing’s brother, Arthur Downing, Ellen was also cousin to Harriet Downing Taylor (Arthur’ Daughter); Harriet’s daughters & son include: Simone Taylor Merritt, Rosemary Taylor Lescombe, and Frankie Taylor (deceased).
Harriet’s grandchildren, Myles and Kenneth Merritt are active supporters of our family today and have been involved in planning our family reunions. Ellen is survived by a host of great nieces/nephews including: Daniel (deceased), Jerome Jr., Kevin, Patrice, Jonathan, and Michael Jones; Jacqueline, Demetria, and Michael Jr. Davis; Chan, Robert, and Romeo Torrain; Omar Milline; Jamal and Shana Parker, Jawaan and Jaquan Greene; Noel, Ava, and Selena Clark; Chinaa, Saban, and Jaylen Richardson; Tariq Sr., Isabella, Tariq Jr., and Viviana Spence; Darryl, Dawn (deceased), Sean, Peter, Paul and Deborah Spence; Maya, Monet, Monique, and Athena Eunice Merritt, and Marc Merritt Jr.; Camille and Tekoa Taylor; Marjorice, Deborah, David, Donna, Pearl, Lindell, and Pearl Poole. Some special family friends to mention include: Sharon Richardson and Ongelique Brooks who were devoted friends of Sharon Wright; Robert Torrain Sr., Eric Greene, William Milline, Michael Davis, Sr., and Denise Hill, mother of Jerome Sr.’s children.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
