Essence Crayton

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto them also that love his appearing.  II Timothy 4:7-8

In life we have pleasures with our loved ones, and recently our family has had its share of both sorrows and joys, but we truly thank God for the memories that death cannot destroy.  Once again, it is with overwhelming sadness, but also with an assured confidence in Jesus Christ knowing that “He Is Able” that we celebrate the life of our beloved, Essence Nakia Crayton.

A devoted and caring mother to her four loving children, Elaizah, Jamareon, Davarion, and Sumareon, the beloved daughter of the late Royce Crayton Sr. and Venita Rice-Crayton; the beautiful and loving sister of SuJuan and Little Royce, a loving cousin, an amazing niece, and a loyal and true friend, Essence Nakia Crayton, peacefully departed this life on Monday, October 21, 2024, in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

The mortal life of Essence Nakia Crayton was born into time on Wednesday, December 14, 1983, at the former Memorial Hospital which is now Corewell Lakeland Health Center South in St. Joseph, Michigan, to her loving parents, Royce Crayton Sr., and Venita Rice-Crayton.  Essence was a beautiful bundle of joy and added so much love to their lives.

She was preceded in death by her son, Royce Crayton III, her father, Royce Crayton Sr. whom she adored with all of her heart, her maternal grandparents, Jettie and Sarah Rice, her paternal grandparents, Willie Earl Crayton, Dorothy (Dot) and Daniel McGinnis Sr., her maternal great-grandparents, Willie (Mr. Bullie) and Bessie Horton, her paternal great-grandmother, Mother Nola Butler, her paternal great-grandmother, Iria Turner and her uncle, Alex Davis.

Essence was raised in a loving and close-knit family on both sides. At an early age, Essence was taught about the love of Jesus Christ and was christened as a baby at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church and baptized at Bethlehem Temple Apostolic Church under the leadership of the late Pastor George Dewberry.  Essence loved the Lord and just recently was saying how much she missed going to church and how she wanted to rededicate her life.

She was formally educated in the Benton Harbor Area Schools where she attended Boynton Montessori Magnet School, McCord Renaissance and Benton Harbor High School and would have graduated with the Benton Harbor High School Class of 2002.

To know Essence was to love Essence. She loved her Mommy and was Daddy’s girl in her heart.  The quote “You can’t judge a book by its cover” encapsulates Essence’s life.  Her children described her as being loving, caring, and so very sweet. She was not perfect, but she was precious to us.  She was not judgmental, even when some found it easy to  judge her in her pain.  She was loved by her family dearly and no matter how hard and tough the interaction with you may have been, she would often end the conversation with these three words, although sometimes walking away… “I Love You.”

A mother’s love is so selfless, and it was evident that Essence truly loved her children.  When they were babies, she always kept them so neat and clean, and she made sure they always had whatever they needed.  When life began to life, in her absence, she made sure that they each were surrounded by people whom she loved, those “loved ones” that she knew would love her babies the way in which they loved her.  Her children were never far from her heart, and she always talked about how grateful and proud she was of them all.  She will forever be missed and loved in their hearts.

Rest On Sweet Essence!  You deserve it and you earned it baby girl.  We will all see you again in that great getting up morning.  You never wanted to let anyone down and please know, we are not disappointed sweet girl, we will always and forever love you.

Essence will forever be remembered in the hearts of her (4) loving and amazing children, Elaizah Johnson and Jamareon McDowell both of Benton Harbor, MI, Davarion Crayton of Caruthersville, MO, and Sumareon Fowler of South Bend, IN;  her beloved mother, Venita Crayton of Benton Harbor; her devoted sister, SuJuan (Shawn) Rice of South Bend, her baby brother, Royce (Tanisha) Crayton Jr. of Las Vegas, NV; her nieces and nephews, Kyshawn (Gabriella) Gunn, Kyisha Gunn, Deja Gunn, and Shawnisha Washington all of South Bend; (4) aunts Roena Rice, Tamara Crayton-Blackwell, and Marcia (Antwan) Taylor, all of Benton Harbor and JoEvelyn Davis, of Atlanta, GA; (3) uncles, Jettie (Debra) Rice of Kalamazoo, MI,  Willie (Roshanda) Crayton and Pastor Daniel (Vonetta) McGinnis both of Benton Harbor; great-uncles and aunts, Richard Sanders, of Benton Harbor, Carol Horton of Bloomfield Hills, MI, Johnny Crayton, Tommy Crayton, Ida Chivers and Annie Mae Hill; all of St. Louis, Missouri;  her mentor, Marletta Seats, Brenda Blackwell and Tameka Doolittle-Burrell and a host of cousins, family and friends.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39

Arrangements have been entrusted to Robbins Brothers Funeral Home, Benton Harbor.