Aszo O. Ingram

Ozella Ingram was a strong woman; a special breed with a special spirit. She was a faithful servant of The Lord -- and a devout member of Jesus Is Lord, Church of Deliverance -- who was also fiercely focused on her family. “She was our matriarch,” opines daughter Sheila Harris. “She was a good person; a compassionate care giver. Her word was her bond. She looked out for many, many people and she protected us from everyone else. Nobody knew what we were doing whether it was good or bad.” “She definitely was the boss,” adds granddaughter Travonya Quarles. “She ruled her household; she did not play. My grandmother was a strict disciplinarian.” Ozella grew up as a naturally red-haired child on a sprawling farm in Wadesboro, North Carolina. She was the 9th of the 11 children born to Fred and Bessie Leake, which is where she derived her penchant for hard, dependable work and astute business acumen. She began as a temporary worker with Hoffman-LaRoache Pharmaceuticals, and retired as a top supervisor some 25 years later. And, was never late to work! “She was excellent with finances and always gave you sound advice,” says Harris of her mother. . “She told me that a lot of her business skills came from the wisdom she learned from her mother.” Ozella Ingram was also a wise and wonderful mother—devoting her life to the special needs of her daughter Valerie, and forging a deep friendship with her son, Steven. “She showed me the epitome of sacrifice,” says granddaughter Nicole Rosato . “She did whatever she could to make a difference in all of our lives. She committed her life to her family.” “Mom was everything to me,” says Steven.” I was called a ‘momma’s boy’, but she always said people just didn’t understand our mother and son relationship. We talked several times a day and I told my mother that I loved her every time we talked.” She was also in constant contact with her youngest sister, Thalia. They were both Libra’s, they both bowled as adults and played basketball as youngsters, and they also always lived within blocks of each other in Orange, New Jersey, Lakewood N.J. and Dover, Delaware. They enjoyed a rich and robust bond. “Ozella was truly a sister,” says Thalia Glenn. “She was a sweet person; a saved person who loved unconditionally. She always had a smile.” Perhaps her son-in-law, Pastor Dino Rosato, eulogized Ozella Ingram best: “She loved deeply, but she deeply loved to be loved. She gave out to others what she wanted in return.” Ozella Ingram never said goodbye. Instead, she preferred to say “peace” whenever she was leaving you. “She transitioned peacefully in her sleep,” says Steven Ingram. “She went out the right way. She didn’t suffer; she had a smile on her face.” Ozella Ingram is survived by her two remaining siblings—sisters Celia O. Jones and Thalia Glenn. Children: Steven Ingram, Valerie Ingram, Sheila Harris. Grandchildren: Travonya Quarles, Nicole Rosato, Stephanie Snipes, Deana Ingram, Melanie Ingram. Great Grandchildren: Joshua Rosato, Danielle Ingram along with nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members and many dear friends. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Aszo O. Ingram, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

Aszo O. Ingram

September 29, 1936 - March 28, 2014