Obituary of Rickey Elliott

The Healthcare Workers of 1199SEIU Mourn the Loss of Leader Rickey Elliott Rickey Elliott was a great leader for social justice and a loving father, grandfather, brother, son and friend. He will be deeply missed by us all and we send our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to his family. Rickey was born in Rochester, New York in 1975 to Lenora Elliott and the late Walter Brown, Sr. at Strong Memorial Hospital. He graduated from John Marshall High School in 1993 and then worked at Eastman Kodak. Upon leaving Kodak, Rickey started working for the University of Rochester in 1994 as a cook and became active in his union, 1199. A natural leader, Rickey became a union delegate, a member of the contract negotiating committee, and eventually a full-time union organizer in 2000. Rickey inspired others with his warmth, talent, incredible competence, humor, charisma, courage and strength, and was elected as a vice president of 1199SEIU in 2007. During his career as a union leader, Rickey helped organize healthcare workers in dozens of facilities throughout New York, New Jersey, Maryland and California. Thousands of those caregivers now have a union voice and a better life because of Rickey. Rickey's legacy as a movement leader also lives on because he was a role model and mentor to many organizers and young people. Rickey was a sports lover, especially basketball. He loved to laugh and make others laugh, and lit up any room that he entered. Every holiday was an occasion for Rickey to entertain, host parties, beat an unsuspecting visitor in a game of dominoes, and serve the best rack of ribs, all at the same time. He treasured his family and made everyone he met feel like they were a part of that family. Rickey's children and grandchildren were a special source of pride for him, and he found great joy in spending time with them and attending their sporting events, dances, and plays. Rickey was a loving father to Whitley, Whitney, Rickey Jr., Shemere, Breahna, Eric, Channel, and Khalil and a doting grandfather to Olivia Green and Cam'Marie Spears. He was a beloved brother to: Jacqueline (Christopher) Elliott-Jones, Broderick (Nina) Bounds, Andre (April) Gattis, Wanda (Cornell) Caviness, Isaac (Trudine) Gattis, Walter Brown Jr., Lillian (Nate) Greggs, Dean (Shelena) Holland, and Chasity Moore-Brown. He was a beloved nephew to Johnnie Mae (John) Johnson, Rosie Marie Elliott, Dora Ousley, Matthew (Rita) Elliott, Charlie (Terri) Elliott, Castellac Stewart, Priscilla Brown, Bruce (Janet) Brown, Vaughn (Judy) Brown, Ernestine (Robert) Saunders, Betty (Willie) Dewdney, and Avery (Debbie) Walker. Rickey also leaves his wife Shonta Brinson, his best friend Dana Alas and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins who will always cherish his memory. The wake will be held on Friday, February 28th, 5-8 pm at the Williams Interfaith Chapel, 2841 Culver Road. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 1st at 11 am at Aenon Baptist Church, 175 Genesee St., Rochester. Interment, Falls Cemetery, Greece, NY