Carita L. Gunnings

On the night of Saturday, October 12th, Ms. Catina (Carita) Lynette Gunnings of Virginia Beach, VA, floated gently away from us after 50 blessed years in this life and into the eternal light of our Father who art in heaven.

Ms. Catina was lovingly called Ma, Cherokee Honey, Grandma, Tina, Daughter, Sister, Friend, and Cousin. Ma’s six sons are Matthew, Jamaa’l, Jamie, Khalid “Hedgehog”, Khalil, and Elijah Gunnings. She was often heard repeating “I love my sons, I love my sons.” She loved to care for her 5 grandsons and 2 granddaughters: Jakhari Billups, Montanna, Messiah, Mattayo, Makoto, Mercury, and Mulani. Ms. Catina carried the love of her Mother, Doris Roseboro Gunnings, and brother, Jerome Fitzgerald Gunnnings.

Ms. Catina is also survived by her Aunt and Uncle Cynthia and Maurice Harold; Sister in Christ and best friend, Sibyl Ne’Smith; Aunt, Rev. Victoria Johnson; Cousins Jamaar, Melinda, Tonya, Kim, and Delano; Father of her children, Akbar Washington. She also leaves to cherish her memory: close friends Vera Parker, Jamie Brown, Fran Taylor, and Chimere Dorsey; the Gunnings Family and many other extended, beloved family members and friends. Waiting on her in heaven is her father, Arthur Jerome Gunnings, sister Sonia Gunnings, dear sister-cousin, Shelise Gunnings Hairston, and good friend Tiffany Scott. She grew up in her beloved city of Winston Salem. She raised her kids in Winston, Chesapeake/ Virginia Beach, Va. 

Ms. Catina spoke the word of God and loved to share her testimonies. She loved and embraced all of God’s children, and loved to talk about God. She also worked tirelessly to write and reflect the Joy of the Lord through her many long written visions on her trusty notepad. Recently, she used her knowledge of social media to build a Youtube channel “@SweetTvlogs4139” and would always say “Man, if I could only get in the Youtube algorithm pushing videos no matter the time or place!” On the channel she shared her unique sense of style and appreciation for gold jewelry and good conversation. She professed the Lord to each of her children daily and God endowed them with the gifts of athletisisim, drawing, rapping, and caring for others. She also stressed the importance of setting aside “God’s 10%” by encouraging her sons to pay tithes so that we may reap the good blessings of the Lord.

Ms. Catina was known to say “Do better, be better!” She quoted the Bible “psalms and Matthew” “Don’t get caught up in the world” “Learn from other people” “When I turn 50, I’m moving to Vegas!” “I’m already Rich G!”. She loved to laugh in a hilarious, high-pitched voice, loved quoting an apt Bible verse, renting cars and going to the beach. Last but not least, she loved to bring her sons together to play basketball and long drives to nowhere.

Ms. Catina worked in customer service and hospitality and enjoyed motivational speaking via her LLC, “I’m Already Rich G.”. She attended Calvary Revival Church (CRC) in Norfolk, Virginia. She attended Winston Salem Forsyth Schools and Tidewater Community College. She studied psychology and the Bible, relentlessly. She was an amazing mother, sister, daughter, friend and woman of God and the Gunnings family will always remember her love and her light.