Rita Greene

Our Dear Mom, Ms Rita Wilkens Greene, the daughter of the late Rose and Austin Wilkens was born in Baltimore, Maryland on August 28, 1923. She enjoyed eighty-eight beautiful years of life, shared with family and friends. Mama peacefully left us on September 16, 2011. Preceding her in death, daughter Nancy Wilkens Smith, brothers Arthur (Brother), Stanley (Bucky) and Austin (Junnie) Wilkens. Mama was affectionately called “Sissy” by family and friends of Eagle Street, and in later years many friends knew her as “Ms. Rita” and by her kids and grandkids she was lovingly called “Mama”. She received her education in the Baltimore Public School System. Mama (Rita) demonstrated her deep appreciation for the importance that family and friends play in all of our lives and our success. She instilled this very important value in her children that we are stronger together and that tough times don’t last forever, however, family and friends will endure a lifetime. Mama lovingly cared for her children and grandchildren and she opened her heart to care for many others including nieces, nephews, and their children, and also the children of the neighbors throughout the years. Mama took pride in a sparkling clean home and freshly ironed clothes; she did this for her family as well as using these exception talents to make a living for her family. Our childhood memories are he flavors and aromas of pots cooking on the stove, filling our home with munch love. Some of her specialty dishes included sauerkraut and pigtails, and the creamiest mashed potatoes with the best fried chicken. Mama would stay up all night cooking in preparation for special family gatherings and she was famous for telling us “come on and eat” and if you said you were not hungry, she would reply “you don’t have to be hungry to eat, Hon.” Mama took pleasure in attending our annual Family and Friends Reunions. Although, Mama was a great cook, she also loved to go out to eat at her favorites restaurants, Ruby Tuesdays, Double T Diner (Ellicott City) and Houston’s Bethesda. Mama loved animals and really enjoyed spoiling her cat Ginger and Lezlie’s dog Coco, both of whom she considered family. Mama had a very special bond with her brothers and in later years she and her activities together and looked out for each other. She also enjoyed attending meetings at the Kingdom Hall with her daughters Maxine and Lezlie, and though her Bible study with Jehovah’s Witnesses she learned and embraced the Bible’s promise of a resurrection to life on earth, as stated at Psalms 37:29 and John 5:28 and 29. Mama was a very faithful, humble, polite and independent woman. Her independence ensured the freedom that allowed her to enjoy her life and dignity of having her “say” when it came to decisions concerning her health. This legacy will live on through her family. Leaving to cherish her memory: five daughters, Maxine Scott (Linwood), Rose Wells (Tyrone), Sylvia Cromwell (Roger), Lezlie Lewis (Michael) and Rita Greene, five sons, Stanley Wilkens, Stewart Nash (Jovan), Ralph Wilkens, Clifford Wilkens (Sharon) and Craig Greene; twenty-six grandchildren, twenty-seven great-grandchildren, four great-great grandchildren along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends whom Mama welcome as her family. We all adored Mama and enjoyed caring for her. We will love her forever.

Tributes

Rita Greene

August 28, 1923 - September 16, 2011