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Essoline Washington, known to many as “Teeny” or “Tiny” was born on April 6, 1939, in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was the daughter of the late Allen and Ethel Knighten, and was the youngest of 16 children. Essoline was called home to rest on October 19, 2020 in her home, surrounded with love and kindness.
She grew up in Lincoln Courts where she attended Dyer School, Courier Tech and was a high school graduate of Hughes High School in 1957. After high school, she met and married Leon Lorenzo Washington, Sr. on March 20, 1959. She conceived five children and then later met Myron Riley and conceived two identical twin daughters. Essoline was family oriented and many even considered her the “neighborhood mom”. The hobbies that she enjoyed were cooking and singing as she had the most beautiful voice. She also loved and played many sports such as basketball, volleyball and soccer. Most of them all, she loved softball and was considered a softball star. She played for over 20 years with her last team being the Beans of Heaven Baptist Church, where she loved turning double plays with her niece Jackie Knighten. She also loved reading and spreading the Word of God as she accepted Jesus Christ at a young age. She was a long standing member of Greater Fellowship Baptist Church.
Essoline worked in the nursing field at Longview Psychiatric Facility and then later worked in Legal Aide in Greater Cincinnati. She was a phenomenally renowned woman in the West End community as she was a part of many committees, such as Laurel Homes Resident Council, where she would initiate prayer before every meeting. She became a part of the Volunteer Surveillance Team for the Division of the Police Department of Safety for the City of Cincinnati. This team supported and assisted the Police Department and other law enforcement agencies to reduce crime and increase public awareness of the importance of citizen involvement. For this, she received many certificates and awards for her hard work and dedication.
In all the years that anyone has ever known her, Essoline was an extremely independent woman allowing nothing to hold her back up until a recent below the knee amputation on September 11, 2020. Nevertheless, she lived her life to the fullest extent with the help her adoring family who considered her as the matriarch and the grounding root of the family she created. Wherever she wanted to go, she went. Whenever she chose not to go, she stayed home. So whenever she felt that her purpose was fulfilled in this world with herself and her family, she went to be with her Lord, peacefully and quietly in the warm and loving comfort of her home. As she was surrounded by family, there was no pain and there was no suffering; just a tranquil sleep and then heavenly bliss. She is now in heaven walking, running and dancing in the sky with both feet as she often did here on this earth with pure joy.
Teeny was a very loving, caring, sharing person with a huge heart of Gold. It would always melt her heart for all of her family to come together on special occasions and holidays. She enjoyed the most spending time with her nieces and nephew, who she also grew up with. Her nieces were like her best friends. She would pack up the children’s food and snacks, then travel to her nieces’ home every chance she got. Then came her great nieces and nephews who became her children too.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Allen and Ethel Knighten; 14 siblings: one brother and 14 sisters; and one child.
Surviving her passing is one sister, Ruby Knighten. She leaves to cherish her memory, six children – two boys, Leon (Robin) Washington, Jr. and Kenneth Washington along with four girls - Laneen Washington, Arletha (Dwayne) Phillips, Sonya (Rod) Smith and Tonya (James) Livingston. She had 21 grandchildren, Tiffani, Tannika, Ricky, Rasheeka, Marquon, Leon III, Ti-A (Bukola), Krystal, Khiry, Brian, Kenneth Jr., Chris, Brandon, Shaelynn, Kingston, Kennedi, Raegan, Rian, Rikkia, Morgan and Jamaica. She had 15 greatgrandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren; as well as host of nieces, nephews, cousins and loving friends. Special thanks to Care Connections Home Health, US Renal Care and Tri Health Physician.
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