Anita Sterrette

Anita Marie Sterrette (nee Hackett) was born September 14, 1932 in Baltimore, Maryland; the first of seventeen children of the late Weems and Marie (nee Blair) Hackett. She departed this life June 24, 2007 after a long illness.Anita attended St. Peter Claver School, St. Pius School, and graduated from Frederick Douglass High School (evening program). She worked at various jobs before starting her own business. She was married to the late Devereaux L. Sterrette, a union from which two sons, Devereaux and Dorian, were born. Anita was blessed with a deep love of her family and humanity in general. After the death of her parents in 1950, she, with her sisters Gloria (deceased) and Dolores, assumed the responsibility of caring for her siblings, soon after gaining her independence. Anita was known as a gourmet cook. She welcomed people from all walks of life into her home by hosting with her husband many social and political functions, always providing delicious and sumptuous food. She also prepared and donated many delicious foods for the St. Cecilia’s soup kitchen. Anita was in the forefront of the woman’s movement when she became the first woman in Maryland to start her own construction firm, S.H.E.D. Enterprises in 1970, which later became Anita Painting, where she hired and trained female painters. Her goal was to open new fields of work to woman. She became the first female member of the Minority Contractors Association.Anita was very involved in politics. She ran to serve as a Delegate from Maryland at the Constitution Convention. She also volunteered her time for many local political campaigns, such as Congressman Parren Mitchell, State Senator Clarence Mitchell, III, Senator Paul Sarbanes, Frances Burch and Senator Joseph Tydings, and many others. Anita dedicated her life to humanitarian causes by being a part of the following organizations and holding several offices: NAACP; Maryland State Foster Parents Association; The Peoples Democratic Action Organization; The Urban League; National Organization of Women; Hanlon Park Association; Citizens Planning and Housing Association; Woman Power; Retail Clerks Local 692; President, The Expeditors Neighborhood Club; President, Forest Park Improvement Association; Chairman Public Relations, Baltimore Fellowship, Incorporated; Vice-Chairman, Precinct Committee, Fifth Districts Reformed Democrats; Precinct Captain, Working for Liberal Candidates; City County Democratic Association; League of Women Voters; Provident Hospital Auxiliary; Child-Study Association of Baltimore; Dickey Hill Elementary School Parent-Teachers Association; Maryland Food Committee; and B.U.I.L.D.Anita leaves to mourn her passing, two sons, Devereaux E. and Dorian A. Sterrette of Baltimore, Maryland; four sisters, Dolores Bowles and Carmelita B. Hackett of Baltimore, Maryland, Imelda Hackett Felton of Washington, D.C. , and June Richey of Seattle, Washington; one grandson, Devereaux N. Sterrette; three foster daughters, Sherri Christopher of Baltimore, Maryland, Benita Griggs of Kansas City, Kansas, Angela Hudgins of California, one daughter-in-law, Dawana Merritt Sterrette of Baltimore, Maryland; two sisters- in-law, Toni Hackett of Owings Mills, Maryland and Cato Hackett of The Netherlands; one brother-in-law, Eugene Jordon; a fiancé of her son Dorian, Angela Sherrill; and a host of nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, great-great nieces and nephews, cousins and other relatives and devoted friends.

Tributes

Anita Sterrette

September 14, 1932 - June 24, 2007