We thank you all for coming together today to pay tribute to our Queen Mother, Elizabeth Covington—a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, and best friend.

Elizabeth was affectionately known as “Yabba” by her children, a name meaning love, and “Libba” by her family. Yabba was born on March 9, 1929, in Bennettsville, South Carolina, to the late Leroy Evan and Maryann Evans. She attended school in Bennettsville before relocating to New York City in 1950, arriving in Brooklyn with her three sons, Richard, Bobby, and Robert.

Yabba was the proud mother of eleven children, seven of whom were born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She was a true businesswoman with a remarkable ability to create opportunity wherever she went. After arriving in Brooklyn, she began working as a cashier and steadily worked her way up. She later ran a laundromat, owned a storefront where she sold vegetables she grew herself, and found additional ways to support her family by selling home-cooked meals.

In 1989, Yabba moved to Harlem, but she never let go of her Brooklyn roots. She continued traveling back to Brooklyn to visit her mother and family and remained devoted to her home church, Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. Yabba attended Mt. Carmel since 1968 and was a faithful member. Even in her final days, she was planning her return to Mt. Carmel Baptist Church.

Her strong faith in God shaped the way she lived and loved. Yabba was a forgiving woman who often said, “Talk to God, baby. Let Him handle it,” and then moved forward as if nothing had happened. A feisty Pisces with a heart full of love, Yabba deeply cherished her family. She was the embodiment of unconditional love and carried it proudly for all to see.

Yabba was a fiercely independent woman who liked things done her way. She could be stubborn at times, and once her mind was made up, that was it. Her son Nathan and daughter Liz would often have to sneak and do her laundry so as not to upset her.

At the age of 96, Yabba was still washing her clothes by hand, never losing her Southern roots. She cooked her own meals, with the exception of Saturdays and Sundays, when her daughters Liz and Barbara would come by with meals for her. She loved cleaning her own home and took great pride in doing things for herself. She loved family gatherings. They were the highlight of her life—watching her children dance and sing as they came together to celebrate her. She would dance right along in her chair and sing with joy. Yabba also loved watching performances, especially the ones her granddaughter Sade and I would do just for her.

Yabba was a mother, wife, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, and a best friend. But most of all, Yabba was a child of God. She loved Jesus and worshipped Him until her very last day. On January 27, 2026, Yabba peacefully closed her eyes and went home to the Lord.

She was a phenomenal woman with a heart of gold, the mother of all mothers. She carried herself with grace and dignity and was true to the game when it came to loyalty. Today, we salute you and hail Queen Elizabeth—aka Yabba, aka Libba—as we lift her up, rejoice, and send her home to be with her loved ones, our Lord and Savior, and our Heavenly Father God. Amen.

Yabba was preceded in death by her husbands, Richard Canty, Edward Covington, and Nathaniel Brown; her sons, Levy, Bobby, Joseph, and Daniel; and her stepson, Nathaniel “Joey” Brown. She was also preceded in death by her brothers, Leroy, Buddy, and Benny; her sisters, Charity Mae and Inez; her nieces, Lisa Gaffney, Francis Evans, and Virginia Evans; and her grandstepson, Lil Joe.

Yabba leaves to mourn her loving memory her four daughters, Louise Brown-Williams, Diane Brown, Lisa Brown Covington, and Barbara Covington-Branker; and her three sons, Edward Covington, Robert Covington, and Nathan Brown-Covington. She is also survived by her nieces, Tausha Maupin, Evelyn Peterkin, and Sherry Peterkin; and her nephew, Milton Peterkin. Yabba leaves behind 21 grandchildren: Tyler, Sade, Jah, Terrell, Sabrina, Samone, Precious, Jessica, Tye, Francis, Marco, Tisha, David, Javonne, Capri, Sequan, Tyrone, Casey, Eddie, Nicole, and Dawn; along with 10 great-grandchildren and 9 great-great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family, and friends.

Sleep Well, Queen Elizabeth.