Wanda Mae Constance Young Ellington
Wanda Mae Constance Young Ellington is the second of seven children born to Russell and Bernice Wongus Young in Cambridge, Md., on April 26, 1942. After graduating from Mace's Lane High School, in the Class of 1960 she attended Maryland State College, now known as University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
She met and married Arthur Ellington, Jr. They lived in Bronx, N.Y. and were blessed with a son, Maurice. While living in New York Wanda worked on Wall Street twice, with an import-export company and at a bank. Wanda was an active member of Bethel AME Church on 132nd Street in Harlem.
Wanda and her family started attending Northwood-Appold UMC during the fall of 1973. She was active with Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, was Member to Annual Conference for eight years, was member of Staff-Parish Relations Committee for two pastors, and President of the United Methodist Women. For almost two decades Wanda worked with others to plan our Conference's Annual Laity Retreat, and attended the Northeastern Jurisdiction (NEJ) Lay Assembly.
Wanda served as member of Re-entry Committee after our church's fire in 2013, and as Chairperson of Worship for many years. She sang in the choir and attended Bible Study. She was always willing to share her Eastern Shore heritage with others on Eastern Shore Day and at the annual Young Family and Friends Day at Wesley Union UMC at Mission, the church of her youth.
A good cook since her teen years Wanda became lead cook for UMW catered meals and other church programs. She always had a cooperative team making our church known for its good food. She was known for her turkey salad, roast beef, oven fried chicken, barbecued beef, greens, potato salad, homemade rolls, sweet potato pies, cakes and bread pudding. For two years Wanda, a group of men and women gathered almost every week to make cinnamon and hot rolls. The proceeds paid for painting our sanctuary and the drapes.
Wanda always loved to travel with her family since childhood. When Maurice was in Germany in 1982, she and her sisters traveled there for their spring break. For many years Wanda was a travel agent arranging trips for individuals, groups and herself. As a result she traveled most American states, Canada, the Caribbean Islands, Europe and South Africa.
Wanda learned at the age of nine that you can depend on God. When her father was killed in an automobile accident, God provided and her mother was able to rear the family with the comforts of love, all their needs met and many of their wants were satisfied. She stepped out on faith as a single, divorced mother of one when she moved to Baltimore in 1967. She worked as an educator, even taught food service to students in the Baltimore City Public Schools.
Yes, God blessed Wanda to share conversation and prayers with many through the years. Wanda always shared her testimony of how she survived cancer for forty plus years with one healthy kidney. In recent years she participated in a phone ministry of interstate prayer warriors known as "Morning Glory". Although she had a back injury, Wanda moved swiftly with her cane and proclaimed, "I am a blessed Black woman". And we were blessed because we knew her.
In September, 2020 Wanda and the family learned that she had been suffering quietly with cancer.
Wanda's daughter-in-law, Kim Lomax Ellington preceded her in death five months earlier. In addition to her parents and husband, Wanda was preceded in death by siblings, Russell Young, Carroll Young, Warren Young and Glenda Young Pinder; foster brothers, Joseph and Charles Nelson; sisters-in-law, Della, Wiona and Rubye.
Wanda's legacy continues with her son, Maurice Ellington, Sr.; five grandchildren, Tiera (Alyshia), Donte, Shanna, Maurice, Jr., and Tyeshaun; and six great-grandchildren, Tyreek, Donte, Jr., Jordan, Mason, Cameron and Dream; two siblings, Gwendiville Young and Cornell Young; sisters-in-law, Rev. Rose Murray (Goderick), Ethel Young, Carolyn Young; and brother-in-law, Edward Pinder, Sr.; God-daughter, Angela Pinder; first cousins, Rudolph Wongus, Jeannette Cephas, Dwayne Cephas (Malou) and Brenda Reese; along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Her Memorial Service was held on Saturday, November 14, 2020 and can be viewed on YouTube.