Yvonne Cecilia (Bennett) Ormsby

Yvonne Cecilia (Bennett) Ormsby was born at Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Kingston, Jamaica on July 26, 1949 to the late Sydney Bennett and Pearline Leonie (Narcisse) Bennett.  She was the first born of twelve children and she loved her siblings very much.

 She attended Vaxhall Secondary School in Kingston, Jamaica, where she was an excellent netball player.  After graduating, she continued her education at Joann Seaga School of Beauty where she learned the skills of hair care.  Yvonne immigrated to New Jersey to join her beloved mother on August 17, 1968 to begin building her life. She decided to move to Boston in 1970 to raise her four children, Shawn Bennett, Sharon (Ormsby) Wells, Erica (Ormsby) Martin and Denise Ormsby. For over twenty five years she worked diligently at Raytheon Technologies as a heart pacemaker. In addition to her full time employment, Yvonne wore many hats. She was a hair stylist, a chef, a painter, a party planner, a gardener, a D.J., a therapist and so much more.  Anytime you came to her house, you would leave with a haircut and a full stomach. Cooking was one of those things she could do in her sleep. You didn’t have to worry about being cold either, as she ensured everyone was covered with blankets and scarves that she crocheted with love. She worked hard and was passionate about life.  Family and friends meant everything to her and she doted on them, however, if you came to see her on a Monday or Thursday, you would not find her at home. You would find her at Bingo!  That was something she loved to do just for herself.  She also loved telling jokes even when she was the only who thought were funny. You laughed anyway because her laughter was infectious.

After her decree nisi (pronounced nigh-sigh), she met her life partner, Ralston Johnson in 1981.  They shared a love of music, especially reggae. They would have a two person concert playing music and truly believed there was an audience in the house when actually it was just them. That’s love!  Although Yvonne lived in Boston MA for over 50 years, her heart always belonged to her homeland, Jamaica and with Bob Marley.  If there was ever a Bob Marley trivia game created where you could win a million dollars, she would be the winner every time.  She wasn’t your average woman; she was a strong warrior who loved life.

Beloved mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend, Yvonne Ormsby passed away peacefully on April 16, 2022 in her home with her life partner Ralston, her “one Son” Shawn, as she always called him, and her grandson Ke’Shawn by her side at one o’clock in the morning.  She put up a good fight and can now crochet and play Bingo with her beloved mother in heaven.  She will be missed, never forgotten, and will continue to live in our hearts.

Yvonne is predeceased by her brothers Michael Bennett and Dwight Bennett, her sister Judith Bennett, and her sister-in-law Angela Bennett.  She is survived by her life Partner Ralston Johnson, her children Shawn Bennett, Sharon M. Wells, bonus daughter Elizabeth Guzman, Erica Martin, son-in-law Brandon Martin, and Denise Ormsby; her bonus children Cheryl Johnson, Ralston (Kevin) Johnson and Tamara (Johnson) Stephens,: her siblings Calvin Bennett, Gladstone Bennett, sister-in-law Andrea Bennett, Raymond Bennett, Wayne Bennett, Caffie Bennett, Patrice Bennett, sister-in-law Sonya (Frasier) Bennett and adopted sister Ava White; her grandchildren LaShauna Bennett, Shauna Bennett, Ke’Shawn Bennett, Elizabeth Wells, Courtney Wells, Jamesha Brown, her grandson-in-law Tevin Brown, Taylor Harris, Eunique (Wandick) Curry, her grandson-in-law Bruce Curry, Jr., Byron Wandick, Kevin Gratts, DeShone Howard and Eunyce Hodge; her seven great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

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