Obituary of Marquitte Marie Anderson

Marquitte Brown Anderson, daughter of Gloria (Brown) Parker and Louis Parker, Jr., was born July 10, 1979 in Kalamazoo Michigan at Borgess Hospital. She transitioned into the arms of the Lord on Tuesday, February 21, 2017, surrounded by her devoted and loving family and friends. Marquitte attended primary school at Indian Prairie, Lincoln Elementary, and Hillside Middle School. She graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She completed college courses at Davenport University. Marquitte’s love for gourmet cooking and delicious foodstuffs provided her with various opportunities to serve food and cater anywhere from high-end restaurateurs to “small mom and pop” establishments. Marquitte was particularly unique in that she had an adventurous nature that would find her traveling to explore new places and things from California, to Arkansas, Alabama, St. Louis, North Carolina, Omaha, Nebraska, Silver Spring, Maryland, and Lafayette, Indiana to name a few. Marquitte was affectionately known as “Kida” to those who loved her. She accepted the Lord as her personal savior at a young age, and recommitted her life to the Lord as a young woman through the ministry of her sister, Minister Karika Parker. Marquitte was gifted with a keen intellect, a love for learning, and a sense of humor - all her own. Many who knew and loved her spoke to her active willingness to help others- no questions asked. Due to her adoration for people from all walks of life, her commitment to people led her to work for Residential Opportunities Incorporated (ROI) helping those that were developmentally delayed live full and meaningful lives. Marquitte’s erudite vocabulary provided her with aspirations to write greeting cards, poetry, and performing Spoken Word; leading her to create and establish the very unique “Open Mic” poetic forum at Urban Blend Coffeehouse, a local restaurant owned and operated by her parents, Louis and Gloria Parker. Urban Blend became a very popular venue; a place where, young and old, aspiring and seasoned various artists, singers, and musicians, would display their talent every Thursday night. Marquitte was cherished, adored, loved and embraced as extra special by her immediate family, as well as, her extended family. Often when she would return home, there was this magnetic energy she possessed that would draw friends, family, and acquaintances into her center core; thus, making your home a very special gathering spot for her visit. Marquitte leaves to cherish her memory her loving parents Louis and Gloria Parker, very close and devoted siblings, Minister Karika Parker, Katrina Brown and Louis Parker III.; three nieces, Essence Stewart, Ramiya Phillips, Kaelyn Parker; three nephews, Romello and Romari Phillips and Payton Parker. She leaves very special aunts, Joyce Burnett, Linda Fountain, Jeanette Brown-Guillette (Ed) of Silver Spring, Maryland; very special uncles, Jake Burnett, Tommy Brown, Leroy (Cynthia) Brown, and Amir Sabir (Uncle Jody); very special great and great-great-aunts, Mable Moncrief, and Mary-Kate Gibson. Marquitte leaves also her fiancé Jeremy Lawande to cherish her memory and dear friend Lyniece Gaddie. She is preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Lindsay and Dora Brown, and paternal grandparents Delores Parker and Talib Deen (Mary) Saleem, aunt Sue Ann Brown, uncles Waddell and VertL Burnett. A host of very, very special cousins and many, many close friends.