Today we celebrate the homegoing of our beautiful and blessed matriarch, Mrs. Elnora "Sue-Mae" Easter, who was born on October 18, 1942, in Edgecombe County, NC, to Pastor Oscar Caine and Mary Smith.

Elnora, affectionately known as Susie, received her early education in North Carolina. Her dedication to learning was unmatched—she often walked five miles each way when she had no other means to attend school. Growing up as the daughter of a pastor, she learned early the value of faith, hard work, and service. She helped her family as a young sharecropper, growing vegetables and cooking meals with love. Above all, she cherished being in church and uplifting the name of the Lord.

During visits to Richmond to help care for her brother's children while their mother, Marie Perry, worked, Susie was introduced to the love of her life, Thomas Easter, Jr. Their bond formed quickly, and Thomas knew he could not imagine life without her. The two were united in holy matrimony on July 16, 1962, when Susie was just 18 years old. From their beautiful union came 13 glorious children, and together they built a home filled with love, music, and the Gospel.

Their early years at 3500 East Clay Street were filled with worship. If the family was not at church, they were having church at home. Singing filled the walls, often drawing curious neighbors to the door just to listen. Their home became a place of community, comfort, and spiritual nourishment.

In 1979, the family moved to 2304 Phaup Street in Fairfield Court after their Clay Street home became uninhabitable. There, the Easter household continued to thrive. Friends, classmates, and neighborhood children always knew they were welcome. If someone was hungry, Susie fed them. If someone needed love, she provided it. And if someone didn't yet know the Lord, they learned about Him in her home. Her kitchen, her smile, and her teachings blessed countless lives.

In 1993, Susie endured the heartbreaking loss of their fifth born son, Darrell Leon Easter, a sorrow she carried deeply. Elnora is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Thomas Easter, Jr., and five of her beloved children.

Left to cherish her precious memory are eight loving children: Orlando Easter (Helen), Thomas Easter III (Helena), Jerome Easter (Holly), Alonzo Easter (Maria), Selena Easter-Adams (Antonio), Demetria Elnora Easter, Urania Easter, and Alexander Easter (Lahronda); 22 grands; 28 great-grands; and 1 great-great-grandchild. She is also survived by her devoted siblings, Elder Benjamin, June (Gloria), Hattie, and Emma, along with two cherished family friends, Thurston Harris and Latisha Scott-Wright, and a host of other relatives and lifelong friends.

Elnora was a proud volunteer at the East End Public Library and was always eager to lend a helping hand. She often said, "I am the sweetest, nicest person I know," and anyone who met her knew it to be true. She was a strong woman—resilient, loving, faithful, and simply phenomenal. She is, and forever will be, deeply missed. Always in our hearts.

Funeral services can be viewed online by selecting the "View Funeral Webcast" link below on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at 12:00 p.m.

View Funeral Webcast