Janaica, NY – Mary Ellen Kirton, also known as M.E.K., was born on October 31, 1933, to the late, Cleotha and Sandy Kirton in Marion, South Carolina, where she was raised and graduated from Marion High School.
Mary married her late husband, S.W. Evans on February 28, 1953, and later relocated her family to Queens, New York in 1960, where she worked at The Candy Factory for many years. Mary dedicated her life to the Lord in 1980, where she faithfully served as an usher board member at the Holy Ghost Revival COGIC for over 30 years. As a devoted church member, Sister Evans served the local community in feeding the homeless, assisted with clothing and food drives, and provided unlimited support to many outreach initiatives.
Mary was also a pillar in her local neighborhood where she would come to the aid of any person in need. She touched so many lives both near and far and humbly demonstrated the importance of helping others through her daily acts of service. Her unconditional love and passion to serve others is incredibly unmatched. With open doors and an open heart, Mary’s desire to help others was undeniable.
Mary loved to spend quality time with her family and friends, playing card games and BINGO, with Pitty Pat being one of her favorite card games. She enjoyed cooking and hosting family and friend gatherings, with an open invitation to anyone that wanted to partake. Some of everyone’s most favorite foods cooked by her, with flavorful seasonings and a pinch of love, is the infamous baked macaroni & cheese, potato salad, deviled eggs, collard greens, fried chicken, and her amazing pineapple upside down cake, just to name a few dishes. The aroma of her cooked food and her comical personality is what people gravitated to the most. Everyone who entered her home left with a good laugh, a full belly, and an unforgettable nickname. Mary also loved to collect and grow plants, so much that they would greet everyone at her front door and throughout her sunroom. With each one of them being welcomed into the family with their own special name.
Mary leaves us with so many sacred memories to last a lifetime, and for that, today we honor and celebrate her life and thank GOD for allowing us to be a part of her journey!
To welcome Mary into her heavenly home in her departure from this earthly life are….
Her three sons; Samuel Evans, Larry Evans, and Jerry Kirton. In addition, her
five sisters; Golda Lee Porter, Dora Brantley, Grace Ann Graves, Christine Brown, and Christina Fogan, as well as her three brothers; Johnnie Lee Kirton, J.B. Thomas, and Charlie Thomas.
Mary, our beautiful angel leaves behind and is now watching over her remaining ten children, Charles Evans, Jerry Evans, Leroy Evans (Walletta), James Kirton (Lisa), Christopher Kirton (Nicole), Verely Patrick (Keisha), Thomas Patrick, Crystal DuBose (Toney), Tiara Evans, and Darnell Evans Sr. (Antoinette), as well as her baby sister, Bertha Mae Applewhite, and her life-long dear friend Elder Julius Wallace, 34 grandchildren and an abundance of great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and loved ones.
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