Essolene Tanner Waterman, 82, of North Carolina, passed away April 17, 2022 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Essolene Tanner was born on March 28, 1940, to Nathaniel Tanner and Goldie Jones in Creedmoor, North Carolina. In 1959, she graduated from GC Hawley High School and shortly after relocated to Brooklyn, New York with her sister Lizzie and nephew Mark where she was employed by a textile company. A few years later she accepted a position at the Harlem State building, making Harlem her home.

She was more than happy to be the central figure in the lives of any child in need and took pride in loving and nurturing them. You can say she was a combination of a Harlem Mother Theresa and Madea. One wrong move and I'll let you use your imagination. When she was not providing for and caring for children in need, you could catch her looking out the window on 133rd in Convent with a bag of salted peanuts poured in Pepsi and a bag of pork rinds. Her signature dish was chopped barbeque and it was scrumptious. Everyone knew not to interrupt her stories or her WWF because Sonny Corinthos and The Rock were a part of our family okay!

Essie was vibrant, funny, well-known and respected by all... Even by the bootleg man who sold her the new movie DVD's. There are not enough words in the dictionary to scrape the surface of how phenomenal of a woman she is. I use (the present tense) because her principles exude to all the souls she touched. Because of her dedication to children, in 1991 she founded The Waterman Family Daycare giving her the name Mama Essie which provided her with an enormous sense of gratification. She was devoted not only to the children she cared for but to their parents as well. How Lucky are we to have someone that makes saying goodbye so hard?

Essie met and married Wilbur Waterman from that union their son Keith Waterman Sr. was born, she also helped raise her nephew Mark Tanner (Tracey) as her own. She raised two daughters Robin Witherspoon and Charlene Miller.

Essie also leaves behind one living brother Joe Tanner (MaryLee); Her grandchildren: Jacquelyn, Keith Jr., Mya, Justin, Jason, Tanika, Dominque, Faizah, and Frederick.; Great Grandchildren: Noah, Kenroy, Jaddai, Dylan & Kayla. She shared a very special bond— that of a grandmother with Mark's children and grandchildren: Jarrod, Timothy & Mark Jr., and their children: Christopher, Austin, Ayden, Aliyah, Cameron, Caleb, Aubrey, and Kaiden. Essie also expressed exeptional devotion and love to all of her nieces and nephews.

Essie was preceded in death by her siblings Jessie (Ruth), Willie (Kaylee), Lizzie (Willie), Vinson (Magdalen), Goldie (Fred) Ollie, (Marlene) and Jimmy.

When tomorrow starts without me
And I’m not here to see
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
Are filled with tears for me
I wish so much you wouldn’t cry
The way you did today
While thinking of the many things
We didn’t get to say
I know how much you love me
As much as I love you
And each time you think of me
I know you’ll miss me too
But when tomorrow starts without me
Please try to understand
That an angel came and called my name
And took me by the hand
And said my place was ready
In Heaven far above
And that I’d have to leave behind
All those I dearly love
But when I walked through Heaven’s gate
I felt so much at home
When God looked down and smiled at me
From His great golden throne
He said this is eternity
And all I promised you
Today your life on earth is past
But here it starts anew
I promise no tomorrow
For today will always last
And since each day’s the same way
There’s no longing for the past
So when tomorrow starts without me
Don’t think we’re far apart
For every time you think of me
I’m right here in your heart