Letitia Teresa Wallace's Obituary
Letitia Wallace,
The Diva, passed away unexpectedly on the morning of January 19, 2021 in San Diego, CA at
the age of 59. Lesha, is the name she was most often called especially at home by her cousins
and her relatives in her younger years. Lee, Tisha, Lesh, Elle, and the one she liked the most,
‘the Diva’, is what she referred to herself as. The DIVA represents a Divinely, Inspired, Valued,
Anointed woman of God, and the DIVA is who she is to many of us.
Letitia is the eldest daughter of four children, Trudy, Stacy, and Rodney, born to Ben Eudell and
Fatima Wallace. Fatima later had two more children, giving the Diva two more younger sisters,
Roberta and Robinette who she affectionately remembers as ‘baby-Row-Berta or Squeaky’ and
‘Boo’ respectively.
The Diva spent all of her formative education years in Los Angeles, CA, from preschool through
high school. She graduated from Jefferson High school, and remained friends with many
teachers and several friends into her later years in life and many until her death. She left LA to
attend college at CSU Fresno, where she initially was a Nursing major. She had already
achieved her first CNA certificate upon graduation from high school, and had private patients
that she nurtured as a live-in assistant during her first two years of college. However, she left
nursing and graduated from Fresno State with a Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration. During college she pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and was a faithful
member for over 30 years until her death.
True to her vow not to marry before her college graduation, she graduated from Fresno State
1985 at 9 AM and was married by 4 PM the same day to Mark Washington. Mark was in the US
Navy, so her grand travels began in October of that same year. First to Oxnard, CA where her
first child, Jameisha Washington, was born approximately four years after her marriage to Mark.
The Diva and her family moved to Hawaii soon after, and two years later Letitia welcomed her
second child, Jamarko Washington. “Honeygirl” or “Pooh Bear” plus her “Little man” were
adorned with nurturing care plus abundant Christian guidance and motherly love.
The Diva started her Christian journey at the age of 30 years old while pregnant with her son
Jamarko. She was elated at having found and accepted Jesus as her savior.
The Washigtons returned to San Diego in the early 90s. The Diva found a church within the first
3 weeks of moving to San Diego at Highland Park Baptist Church with Pastor Andre Henderson
and Assistant Pastor Rolland Slade. Thus her Christian journey began. She was like a sponge
along with her two little sponges J+J, and together they were known to be at church from when
the doors opened to when they closed.She maintained her love of God and lived her life to
honor her Lord Jesus Christ.
The Diva worked at a major tech company known as the ‘Q’, Qualcomm for eighteen years.
New life began there, as she met many lifelong friends and built her career. She was happy and
loved her work at the ‘Q’, and also managed a side hustle before the phrase side hustle existed.
Letitia’s love for all things color and pizazz was on full display in her balloon decorating and gift
basket business. She leaves a legacy of love and a family of true friends even unto death.
Letitia was known at the Q for her balloons and her faith in the Lord.
In her personal life, the Diva’s friends loved her mac and cheese, greens, and fried chicken. She
loved to cook for people, and she baked, fried, and steamed love into every bite. The Lord, her
children, her balloons, and cooking gave her joy and with them she made friends for life.
The Diva loved saying that nursing was her true love for her entire life, and many heard her say
that one day she would be a nurse again. It took her 26 years to become a CNA again, she
really came to life once her nursing career began anew in 2015. She hoped to be a registered
nurse, then a nurse practitioner in the later years of her life. She loved learning and nursing
more than life, but a little less than her relationship with the Lord.
Although, in her mid 50s her life was filled with capital ‘D’ drama, as she would say, by her late
50s that was resolved. She never met a person who she didn’t love, so she knew people
everywhere and became fast friends with many. She loved to write and had planned on writing
two books! She loved writing so much that people paid her to write and handle business affairs
for them. She was a “savvy business woman and writer” and her talents will be truly missed.
Her smile and infectious laughter will be deeply missed. The Diva had her own sense of style,
and she always dressed exactly how she wanted to. From the afro to pressed, anyone who met
the diva knows she dressed to impress. She was her own woman, she was God-filled, devoted,
inspiring, encouraging to all, and prayed for anyone and about anything in God’s will. Thank you
Lord for sharing her with us. Although we are happy and joyous that she is with you, our hearts
are void and empty without her tender kindness, infectious joy, unconditional love and radiant
laughter.
She leaves a legacy of love and adoration for her: daughter Jameisha Washington, her son
Jamarko Washington and his partner Lindsey Guion, and her grandchild Soul Maison
Washington-Guion; sisters Roberta Arnold and Robinette Leverette; brother Rodney Wallace;
nephews: Jacoby Duke, Robert Arnold, Shalom Arnold, Jacorey Leverette, Rodney Leverette,
Saeed Lee; and Nieces: Nia Huggins, Moneice Johnson, Zahari Graham, and Sadee. She was
preceded in death by her father Ben E Wallace Jr., grandfathers: Rodney St. Claire Legendre
and Ben E. Wallace Sr.; mother, Fatima Leverette; grandmothers: Macol B Wallace and Ophelia
Houis; sisters: Trudy Wallace, Stacy Wallace Johnson. She also leaves behind a list of life long
friends who have become family to her. Including their countless children and grandchildren,
whom she will miss dearly. She will watch over you from heaven and can’t wait to see you there.
She loves you to the moon and back!
All are welcome to celebrate and attend Letitia’s Memorial service virtually on February 24,
2021 at 10:00 AM.
Virtual Service:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3233031779?pwd=RHpTL0s5UWRWOWZwd0lVbnQxR3FoQT09.
Meeting ID: 3233031779 Password: THENETWORK
In lieu of flowers, condolences can be sent to the family at ‘The Wallace Family, PO Box 335,
Bishop, CA 93515. The family would like to thank Mark the RN for his efforts and compassion.
-the DIVA
What’s your fondest memory of Letitia?
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Share a story where Letitia's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Letitia you’ll never forget.
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