Obituary of Arleitha M Mercer

Arleitha Mildred Mercer was born on November 20, 1940 and went home to be with the  Lord on January 31, 2022.  She was born to the late Mildred Arleitha and William Johnson she has gone to be her daughter she lost at birth Alice and her grandsons Derrick and Marcus Arleitha. Five siblings preceded her in death Thomas, Robert, Margaret, who her mother lost at birth. Eva and Ethel, she lost her mother, father and siblings at a young age of her life. Arleitha was born on a Indian Reservation in Rapaport, New York. When her family moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania she was very young.  Her family attended Mother Bethel AME Church where her grandfather was a preacher at their home church. She had very strong ties to our slavery ancestral history. Her grandfather was William Johnson,  who along with Harriet Turman and William Still got the Slaves thru the underground railroad to Philadelphia, where the slaves branched out to various places. William Still and Her Grandfather were first cousins. Arleitha attended the public school system in Philadelphia, although she did not complete high school she was very articulate and sharp with numbers.  You couldn't sleep on her, she was a home health aide. Her passion was being a homemaker to her family. She loved helping others. When Arleitha walked in a room, her smile lit the room up. She loved to talk about her life and family when she laughed you couldn't help but to laugh with her it was infections. Arleitha was a very soft spoken, private person.  Arleitha loved her children, grandchildren, great grands and great-great grands. She delighted in the fact that she was a grandmother of three generations. Arleitha loved cooking shows, westerns and heart felt movies. She made her own little pillows as a hobby and indulged in the beauty of her stuffed animals.  She loved sweets. She was truly a kid at heart. She never missed a birthday, holidays, Easter or Flag Day. That's how much she loved gifting her family straight down to the great-great grands. She definitely was once, twice, three times a lady. Our mother would often say, although she lived in senior living that she didn't want to be bothered by those gossiping, newsy, old folks because they ought to know better and no they can't borrow any sugar, even though she was sweet as sugar. She gave her family the very best years of her life and had a unique relationship with all her children on a individual basis. All her children with the exception of Alice, are still living. God blessed her in that way. Arleitha Mildred Mercer will sorely be missed by all who loved her tremendously. She leaves to cherish her loving memories seven children; Kevin, Douglas, Edith, Carolyn, Lisa, Steven and Yvonne. Twelve grandchildren;  Karen,  Roxsanne,  Eric, Douglas, Jr., Jermaine, Micheal, Shanna,  Angelique, Tyrone, Jamila,  Rashon, Al, Jr. and Cordelle.  Four great-grands;  Kiyanna, Christopher, Alana Aleiah, August Cameron and Jaden and three great-great grandchildren. One Daughter-in-law Olga, a son-in-law Angelo, and three Grand Daughters  inlaws Dee Dee Desirae and Kim along with other relatives and friends Arleitha will always have a cherished place in her families heart.