Ms. Clementine Wooten Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Clementine “Mother” Wooten, age 92, of Chicago, IL, daughter of the late Alonzo Weldon Wooten and Fannie Lou Wooten, passed away after a long and well lived life on May 23, 2022, from natural causes. She was a member of First Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Clementine was born in Wooten Town, Mississippi outside of Meridian in a very large, close-knit, land-owning, farming family. As the eldest of eight siblings, she helped her parents, aunts and uncles with chores and the children around Wooten Town. At 16 years-old she graduated from Harris High School in Meridian where she also worked as a teacher. Once her own children, Victoria and Ras were born, her name changed from Clementine to “Mother”, and that became her name for the rest of her days. Mother saw a bigger life for herself, and in 1950, she moved to Chicago where she was mesmerized by the bright lights and the city life. Her first job was as a model for a hat company, which suited her because she was beautiful and loved fashion. Mother took advantage of all the city offered – she spent time at the downtown library, attended shows, saw plays and visited restaurants. She fell in love with Chicago! Upon arriving, she and her children lived in Cabrini Green until they relocated to Noble Square where she found an apartment that looked across the Chicago skyline. Mother lived there for over 50 years. Mother became a U.S. postal employee in 1969. She worked overnights downtown at the Old Chicago Main Post Office until she retired in 1992. Even though she worked through the evening, she found ways to have fun, spend time with her grandchildren and live a full life. She created a home for everyone, taking-in extended family, hosting parties, making ice cream and celebrating milestones. She lived up to her name – she was a matriarch, support and advisor to many. Mother was very social and had a sense of adventure. She was a member of Meridianites, a social group from Meridian that connected each year through travel. She looked forward to each destination and would tell stories about her new experiences traveling around the world. She read the Chicago Tribune every day and was entertained by books, puzzles, word games, shopping, watching westerns, Family Feud and her favorite movie, Pretty Woman. She spent time at church, volunteering at the food pantry, connecting with friends, discussing worldly events and fussing. Mother was responsible, dependable, empathetic, loving, stylish, opinionated, funny, intelligent and glamorous. She was a good Mother. She will be missed by all who loved her. She is predeceased by her daughter, Victoria Delight Oneal, and siblings, Harold Lavon Wooten and Mary Florence Bell. She is survived by her son, Ras Dewey Wooten; grandchildren, Brigitte Yvette Oneal, Ras Darnell Williams (Ruth), Scott Brian Hunter and Raslyn C. Wooten; great-grandchildren, Courtney Yvette Smith (Jonathan), Erik Victor Thomas, Aaron Alexander Okelola (Ashley), Ras Williams (Desire), Evan Ras Castile, Cortez Owens, Sharmaine Jackson and Shartera Williams; siblings, Huey Manuel Wooten (Louise), Elizabeth Ann Reed, Janet Morrison, Dwight Wooten and Warren “Jack” Emerson (Wanda); and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Tributes

Ms. Clementine Wooten

May 23, 2022