Nelda Lassiter

Nelda “Cookie” Reneé Lassiter, 71, of Franklin Park, New Jersey, passed away at her home on Tuesday May 12, 2020. Nelda was born on December 17, 1948 in Washington D.C., to John G. and Ellen R. (Wallace) Lassiter. She graduated from McKinley High School in Washington D.C. 

It was always Nelda’s intention to make the world a more peaceful place through education, and service to others. She received her bachelor’s degree (magna cum laude) from Waynesburg College. Nelda began her career as a high school English teacher, where she served the New Jersey school system for 20 years prior to working for AT&T. She was an avid reader, and life-long learner as evidenced by her enrollment in a Women & Spirituality course at Rutgers University in the Spring of 2015—an experience which she described as “an incredible blessing”. 

She was a member at First Baptist of Lincoln Gardens, and enjoyed spending time with the women’s bible study group at Community Baptist Church. In her free time, Nelda wrote inspirational poems centered around her life’s experiences. She loved to travel and enjoyed jazz festivals, Broadway plays, and spending time with her family in Philadelphia, Maryland, and Wisconsin. Moreover, she dearly loved, and meticulously cared for her cat, Ralphie.

Nelda was preceded in death by her grandmother, Elizabeth Better; her parents; her brother, John “Sonny” G. Lassiter, Jr.; her aunt, Phyllis Lassiter; and, her uncle Luther Lassiter. She was also preceded in death by her former husband, life-long friend, and the love of her life, Honorable E. Ronald Wright. 

Nelda is survived by her loving step father, Joseph Wilcox; her baby sister, Adrienne (Lassiter) Cherry; brothers, Timothy Lassiter, Sr., and baby brother Wendell “Peewee” Lassiter; sister-in-laws, Darlene Lassiter, and Darla Lassiter; brother-in-law Doug Cherry; nieces, Adriana Williams, Ebony Floyd, Weneaka Jones, Wekeana Lassiter, Veronica Lassiter; nephews, John Lassiter, Gregory Lassiter, Timothy Lassiter Jr., Dante Lassiter, and Josh Lassiter. Lastly, she is survived by countless friends and colleagues. 

Nelda was a very generous, and loving person. Her life has touched many people during her time on this earth. Nelda will truly be missed and remembered in the hearts of those who loved her and knew her.

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