Melita Brown Plesniarski

Melita Brown Plesniarski was born in Jamaica on November 8, 1943. She passed peacefully, surrounded by love, on November 6, 2025, after a valiant and courageous fight with cancer. Just two days shy of her 82nd birthday, she left this world in the same spirit she lived it—with strength, humor, and an unshakeable spirit.

Melita’s story is one of courage, vision, and determination. She came to the United States from Jamaica to build a better life for herself and for her children. She arrived with little, but she was never defined by what she lacked—only by what she believed was possible. Through her strong work ethic, devotion to her principles, and unwavering commitment to a brighter future, she built a life filled with achievement, both her own and especially those of her children - the American dream achieved. And she never kept her knowledge to herself. Whatever she learned, she shared—helping countless relatives, friends, and newcomers understand how to navigate their own paths to success. Her generosity extended far beyond material things; she shared wisdom, guidance, and a practical roadmap for others to rise. Her life in the U.S. started in Connecticut and her long-time home in Bridgeport served as a starting point for many family members coming from Jamaica. Her house was a place where new beginnings were nurtured, where she offered not only a place to call home but the support they needed as relatives began their new lives and found their footing in America.

She set high expectations for those around her, especially her children. She wanted them to have the opportunities she didn’t and pushed them to be strong, independent, and capable. She made every holiday special, filled with warmth and love, and instilled in her children the grit and resilience that defined her own life. Melita was a survivor, and she raised her children to be survivors in the same way she had always been. Giving up was simply not in her character. Wise far beyond her formal education, she carried a sharp mind and a deep curiosity that never faded. There was no pamphlet, brochure, or document she wouldn’t pick up and study. She gained her knowledge through life, through experience, and through her own hunger to understand the world.

Melita lived her life with a rare combination of humor, independence, and fierce resilience.

Her journey from Jamaica to America was marked by a life full of exploration and connection.

She traveled widely, with many road trips across the U.S. and extensive travel internationally, including trips to England, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, France, Thailand, Morocco, China and elsewhere. She had a funny, free-spirited personality that made people feel instantly comfortable around her and she made friends wherever she went. Whether you met her online or through her travels around the world, she had a way of turning strangers from all corners of the globe into lifelong friends. She kept those friendships alive across decades and continents, checking in, sharing stories, and making sure people always felt remembered.

When not doing for others, Melita filled her days with simple pleasures. She never missed her soap operas, her CNBC, or checking on her trades—even from her hospital bed. She had a knack for finding humor in everyday moments, even making light of losing faculties her sickness took away. She also loved to laugh to tears at classic shows such as I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, The Jeffersons, and Keeping Up Appearances and she enjoyed staying connected with loved ones near and far.

Melita was strong-willed, determined, and a fighter until the very end. She made one final choice in her own unmistakably honest and direct way: she wrote a note asking to be sent to heaven, a quiet expression of peace and acceptance that reflected her strength, courage, and clarity even in her last moments.

Melita is lovingly remembered by her daughter, Christina; her sons, Calvin, Vinton, and Milton; and a wide circle of relatives and friends whose lives were shaped by her kindness. She is reunited in peace with her eldest son, Newton.

A visitation will be held from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM at Raymond Funeral Home, 5 E Wall St, Norwalk, CT. Mass will follow from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 203 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT. Entombment will take place from approximately 12:45 PM to 1:15 PM at Mountain Grove Cemetery, 2675 North Avenue, Bridgeport, CT.

Melita lived fully, laughed often, gave generously, and fought bravely. Her strength, her humor, and her spirit will forever live on in the people she nurtured and the lives she helped shape.

May she rest in peace, may her journey continue in light, and may her memory be a blessing to all who loved her.

In lieu of any flowers or trees on this website, please reach out to her daughter Christina to make a donation to a foundation that will carry on Melita’s legacy. Thank you.