A visitation/walk through for Richard will be held Thursday, December 2, 2021 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Cummings & Davis Funeral Home, 13201 Euclid Avenue, East Cleveland, Ohio 44112. A wake will occur Friday, December 3, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM at Harvest Missionary Baptist Church, 3649 E. 93rd Street, Cleveland, OH 44104. A home going service will occur Friday, December 3, 2021 at 10:30 AM at Harvest Missionary Baptist Church, 3649 E. 93rd Street, Cleveland, OH 44104. An interment will occur Friday, December 3, 2021 at 1:30 PM at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery, 10175 Rawiga Road, Seville, OH 44273.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cummingsanddavisfh.com for the Burrell family.
Richard “DJ” Burrell was born on February 16, 1931, in Cleveland, Ohio to Marilee and Lawrence Wesley Burrell. He was the 5th of 6 children, 4 brothers and one sister, who all preceded him in death. Richard attended Cleveland public schools and Greater Bethel AME Church as a youth with his mother and family. A child of the depression, Richard worked to earn money shining shoes in the Cleveland neighborhood of Collingwood where he grew up. His was one of several tight knit families that lived on Thames Avenue, down the road from the railroad yard. As a young man, during a time when racism ruled the military, Richard served in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged. In 1958 he married Louise Jackson and from this union John Ellis (Melody) and Larry (Cathy), Yvonne Lucille (Ivan), Daisy Alinda (Gerald), Richard Jr. (Pamela) and Derrick Anthony (Tracie) were born. In his early 40’s Richard earned his GED and became a machinist, working for Climax metals until he retired. Richard had struggled with alcohol for many years of his life, but when it threatened his health, he joined Alcoholics Anonymous and remained alcohol free for the rest of his life. Richard remained an active and well-known member of AA where we was lovingly known as “The Happy Alcoholic.” After 25 years, his marriage to Louise ended. Richard then married Catherine (Dean) Malone, embracing her son Kenyatta (Charlene) as his own. With Catherine, Richard began fostering children. Two of those foster children, Martin and Martez continued to visit them over the years. Because of their love for children, Richard and Catherine soon decided to adopt some of their foster babies. After hearing of this, I spoke to my Dad and said “Dad, you’re in your 70s, your children are grown. Why would you want to raise more children?” He said, “Look at my life. I’ve always had kids around me.” I took that to mean, what I already knew; my Dad loved kids.” I remember my Mom telling me that the neighborhood kids would come knocking on her door asking “Can Mr. Burrell come out to play?” Richard would take the boys camping, play football with them and umpire baseball games in the neighborhood. He would have a tab with the ice cream man because he didn’t want any child in the neighborhood to go without. So, Richard and Catherine opened their home and added to their family Ebony, Johnny, Devonte, Miyoka, Darenda, India and Catherine. Because Richard (lovingly called “Uncle DJ”) outlived all of the other men in his family, he became the surrogate Dad to a host of cousins and kids in the neighborhood. He was always a patient and loving father. While he would spank his children when they needed it, he was also guilty of pretending to spank them to satisfy my Mom because he wanted to give them another chance. He would keep candy just to give to the kids (and for himself). He would pop huge bags of popcorn to take to the ballpark, so he would have enough to share with the neighborhood kids that would spot him there. He would always make sure there was plenty to eat and was quick to share with neighborhood kids who were always at our house. He was the kind of Dad that would pretend to lose a game to make you happy. He would turn from his football game to let us watch a holiday movie just to make us happy. When we bought him socks for Christmas, his birthday and father’s day, he would always act overjoyed for the gift, just to make us happy. When visits at his house would come to an end, he would say, “Wait a minute! Don’t leave yet. Let me run to the corner store to buy something for the kids.” That was our Dad. He was a gift to us and to his community. He taught us to be giving, loving, respectful and kind.
His wife, children and a host of grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren nieces, nephews and cousins are left to cherish his memory.
Lovingly submitted, the family.
Written by, Yvonne
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