Lynell Rawlings

On March 7, 1956, Lynell Virginia (Jeffries) Rawlings was born and raised in the Adams Morgan and Petworth areas of Washington, D.C. to the late Paul Edward Jeffries, Sr., and Annie Marie Grooms Jeffries. On June 26, 2023, Lynell entered her eternal heavenly home.

In 1973 Lynell met her neighbor Michael Jerome Rawlings, who eventually became the love of her life. They were bandmates and their love and passion for music continued over the years through their children and great grandchildren, inspiring the family of Rawlings musicians. They were inseparable - if you saw Mike, Lynell was not far behind, and there was no doubt that they were best friends. She was a driving force behind her family and often was the voice of reason, providing wise counsel and encouragement. She was also a “silent comedian” and would make you laugh while keeping a composed posture. She loved supporting small business owners and was intentional in her efforts to promote them when she organized events.

Lynell was educated in the District of Columbia Public School System, attending a family legacy school, Woodrow Wilson Senior High School, where she received her diploma. She later attended the University of the District of Columbia for Business and Marketing.

She was a Federal Government Employee at the General Accounting Office and was then recruited as a career Air Traffic Controller for the Federal Aviation Administration. She attended flight School in Oklahoma with her colleagues and worked for FAA until her retirement.

Lynell was an advocate for education, she loved music of all genres, and most of all, she loved her family and close friends. She looked forward to weekly outings with her sisters, family birthdays and holiday gatherings, and any other opportunity to be amongst her loved ones. She was also the “Ms. Pac-Man” Champion in the family.

In her early adulthood, she became a member of the New Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Washington DC, and later joined the Greater First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant Plains, where she was the President of the Nurses Ministry. She dedicated her time and efforts to organizing annual health fairs for the Columbia Heights Community residents, engaging her family members friends - it was indeed a family affair. She was also a member of the Outreach Ministry, New Members Ministry, and March Birthday Ministry. She expressed her joy for her favorite scripture, Psalm 23, and would often smile and say, “God is sovereign, he can do what he wants to do!” She would get on her knees to show reverence and pray and had hourly reminders on her phone when she would pray.

Lynell leaves to cherish her memories; her loving husband of 50 years, Michael Jerome Rawlings; her 2 children, Leon Dexter Rawlings (Lonya) and Antinique Michelle Rawlings; her 3 sisters; Annette Cherry, Diane Lucas, and Yvette Washington (Eugene); 4 grandchildren; Mikaela and Ean Robinson, and Myles and Kyleigh Rawlings; sister-in law, Donna Rawlings, and brother-in law, Leon Rawlings; close friends; Janet Wiggins and Thelma Rudd, beloved nieces and nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends. Lynell was preceded in death by her parents, Annie and Paul, as well as her three siblings, Theresa Jeffries-Johnson, Florine Kellogg and Paul Jeffries, II. She will be missed dearly.