Loretta E Blackmon

(Mack, Morrow, Gaines, Blackmon)

November 4, 1939 - November 23, 2022

The tenth child of British West Indian immigrants from Jamaica, Loretta Dillion Facey and Alfred Sidney Mack, Loretta was born in Cleveland, Ohio. When she was two weeks old, her mother unexpectedly passed away. As a result, she was loved and cared for by foster parents Ed and Era Hayes when she was ten months old. As a teenager, she was fostered by Martha Cummings.

She experienced a brief illness before leaving this world to be with her Savior.

She attended A. J. Rickoff Elementary, Rawlings Junior High, and graduated from John Hay High School, where she received a Certificate in Stenography. In 1963, she graduated from the Jane Addams Practical Nurse Program as a Licensed Practical Nurse. She exhibited much determination to succeed in life earning an Associate’s Degree from Cuyahoga Community College as a divorced parent with young children. Twenty years later, she enrolled at Notre Dame College of Ohio and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree with honors. After graduating, she worked as an English teacher at Shaw High School and loved “her kids” until she retired. Earlier in her career, she worked as an LPN at several local hospitals and nursing facilities. She also served as an Investigator and Eligibility Specialist with Cuyahoga County Department of Human Services.

In 1957, she married Lee Morrow, Jr., and from their union conceived three children: Eileen, Joyce and Jennifer (twins). She and Robert Settle had two children: twins Keith and Lauren. Through previous marriages, she proudly loved and supported children from Royal Blackmon (deceased): Royal II, Christopher (Donna), Stephen Blackmon (Iko); and grandchildren Royal III, Olivia, Christopher, Harmony, and Seimphonie; as well as children from husband William Gaines (deceased): Shirley & Michael Finnie and Kevin Gaines. While she was totally vested as a mother and grandmother, she had many interests including, writing, cooking, playing the piano, sewing, gardening and in her later years, watercolor artistry.

Loretta credits her foster parents, especially Era Hayes for taking her to church and Sunday school from infancy. At fifteen, she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior and then began the arduous journey of one endeavoring to live a Christian life. During her early years, she was christened in the Methodist Church, confirmed at St Andrews Episcopal Church, and later immersed as a Baptist.

She had a natural tendency to prioritize her family and was well-versed in sacrifice with all children graduating from college and most admirably “keeping them out of trouble” by running a tight ship. While in her parenting years she may have only owned five decent dresses for church, in her golden years she was regarded by others as a jazzy dresser.

She leaves to mourn; her brother Simon C. Mack, Sr.; her children Eileen Morrow, Joyce Morrow Jones (Darrell Boyd), Jennifer Daniels (Salmon “Paul”), Lauren Williams (Jimmie, Sr.), Keith Settle (Fredricka); her beautiful grandchildren William Jones, Jr., Quentin Jones, Salmon “Paul” Daniels, Jr., Lauren Ashley Williams, and Jimmie Williams, Jr.; along with a host of nieces and nephews.

Loretta was preceded in death by her father and siblings: Amy, William, Helen, Doris, Florence, Grace, Harold, and Herbert.