Elvira Alethia was the mother of Marlon Wayans, a famous American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. She was also the matriarch of the Wayans family, one of the most successful and influential families in show business. Elvira Alethia passed away on July 22, 2020, at the age of 81. What was the cause of her death and how did her family cope with the loss? Here are some facts you need to know about Elvira Alethia and her legacy.
Early Life and Marriage
Elvira Alethia was born on July 23, 1938, in Manhattan, New York City. She was the daughter of Ivory Garrett Green and Elvira Green. She met Howell Stouten Wayans, a supermarket manager, and married him after dating for a while. They were devout Jehovah’s Witnesses and lived in Chelsea, New York City when they had their first child.
Mother of Ten Children
Elvira Alethia and Howell Stouten Wayans had 10 children together: Dwayne, Keenen Ivory, Diedre, Damon, Kim, Elvira, Nadia, Devonne, Shawn, and Marlon. Their children became known as the Wayans family, a prominent show-business family that created and starred in many movies and TV shows such as Scary Movie, The Wayans Bros., In Living Color, White Chicks, My Wife and Kids, and Little Man.
Elvira Alethia was a homemaker and a social worker who supported her children’s dreams and talents. She encouraged them to pursue their passions and be creative. She was also a loving grandmother to many grandchildren.
Death and Tributes
Elvira Alethia died on July 22, 2020, in New York, United States. The cause of her death was not revealed to the public. She died one day before her 82nd birthday, which she shared with her youngest son Marlon.
Marlon Wayans announced the death of his mother on Instagram on July 23, 2020. He posted a photo of himself and his mother smiling together and wrote a heartfelt caption that expressed his grief and gratitude. He said that losing her shattered him into 1000 pieces and that he missed her so much. He also thanked her for gifting him pure love and being his first love.
Other members of the Wayans family also paid tribute to their mother on social media. Keenen Ivory Wayans posted a photo of his mother holding him as a baby and wrote “You will always be our queen”. Damon Wayans shared a video of his mother dancing with him and wrote “Love you mom”. Kim Wayans posted a photo of her mother smiling and wrote “Rest in power mama”. Shawn Wayans posted a photo of his mother hugging him and wrote “Thank you for being my mom”. Dwayne Wayans posted a photo of his mother holding a cake and wrote “Happy birthday momma”. Elvira Wayans posted a photo of her mother laughing and wrote “I love you mommy”. Nadia Wayans posted a photo of her mother posing with flowers and wrote “My beautiful angel”. Diedre Wayans posted a photo of her mother holding her hand and wrote “My heart”. Devonne Wayans posted a photo of her mother smiling with sunglasses and wrote “My everything”.
Many fans and celebrities also expressed their condolences and admiration for Elvira Alethia on social media. Some of them were Jamie Foxx, Tiffany Haddish, Gabrielle Union, Taraji P. Henson, Regina Hall, Kevin Hart, Loni Love, Niecy Nash, Angela Bassett, Cedric the Entertainer, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith.
Legacy
Elvira Alethia left behind a legacy of love, laughter, creativity, and inspiration. She was the matriarch of one of the most talented and successful families in entertainment history. She raised her children to be confident, courageous, and compassionate. She touched many lives with her kindness and generosity. She will always be remembered as a wonderful woman who gave birth to a dynasty.
