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DAIJAH MCKITHEN
May 7, 2005 - June 1, 2023
Daijah Anne McKithen was born in Hamilton, New Jersey, on May 7, 2005. From the moment she was born, her inner joy seemed to shine. Everyone loved her instantly.
Daijah was educated in Lawrence at Ben Franklin Elementary, Lawrence Intermediate, Lawrence Middle, and Lawrence High .schools. She loved science, culinary arts, and fashion classes and participated in many extracurricular activities (at school & camp), including soccer, ballet, gymnastics, and swimming. Daijah was looking forward to her senior prom and graduating from high school. She was coming into her own, managing her responsibilities, and driving to school & her job at Shop Rite daily. Her future aspirations were to be a model and fashion designer. Also, she could not wait to get an apartment with her sister and to get a cat (she loved cats so much!).
Daijah adored her parents. She always hugged, cuddled, and laid on her mom, often telling her mother, "you're just so comfortable." She had a forever-growing bond with her father. They shopped together, ate out all the time, and got pedicures together. He affectionately nicknamed her Wage.
A typical teenager that loved music, Daijah attended her first concert with her father to see Billie Ellish during the Happier Than Ever World Tour last year. She also loved Brent Fayiaz, XXXTentacion, and the Weeknd, whose poster hung over her headboard.
Daijah's first best friend was her oldest sister. They were always together and traveled the world like little young women with purpose. The girls saw so much of the world with their parents, traveling to Walt Disney World, Disneyland Park in California, Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, Jamaica, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. She enjoyed the family tradition of visiting Virginia Beach every Thanksgiving. Her family always rented a vacation home for about 30 extended family members. Those days were filled with shopping, games, beach time, and making memories. Daijah and her sister had plans to drive down to Virginia Beach together for the first time this year.
Attending Sunday School at Central Church with her paternal grandmother weekly for many years and Mount Sinai Seventh Day Adventist Church with her maternal family, set Daijah's core values foundation. She was a kind, loyal, tolerant, and empathic lover of people. Even as a younger person, she was idealistic about how others were treated and freedom of expression. She embodied the second greatest commandment, "love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:31, New International Version)
The simplest life pleasures brought Daijah joy. Outside of family and music, she loved to eat, but she was health-conscious, sending her mother detailed healthy shopping lists grouped by meals. While she liked to indulge in her favorite dish, alfredo pasta, from time to time, her regular meals included Greek yogurt, avocados, protein smoothies, omelets, salmon & rice, grilled chicken & Brussel sprouts, and salmon & spinach.
She was at her best when her lip gloss was POPPING. She always had her Aquaphor lip balm on her and would double back home if she ever left it there. She grew to love her unique beauty marks, her freckles. One day, later in her life, she said, "Mom, you have freckles too". Her mother responded, "duh, where do you think you got them from!"
Although Daijah's assignment on this earth only lasted 18 years, her family wants you to know that they expect to see her again when God's people are reunited to go to Heaven and live in eternity. The family invites you to join them on that great reunion day by accepting Jesus into your heart and inviting him into your life.
Daijah's memory will be cherished by her father, Darwin McKithen; mother, Shatara Ryland-Lawery; stepfather, Lewis Lawery; and siblings, Shadae McKithen and Samira Lawery. She leaves her grandparents to celebrate her life: Leroy McKithen, Anne McKithen, Katrina Michaels, and David Michaels. Her legacy of laughter and love will not be forgotten by her aunts & uncles: Tyrone McKithen (Claudia), Darris McNeil (Sandy), George Ryland III, Marquis Ryland, and David Michaels, Jr (Amanda);cousins: Deondrai McKithen, Anthony Rojas, Ava McKithen, David Michaels, Kaiden Michaels; bonus brothers & sisters: Lewis Lawery, Jr, Rashawn Lawery, Jordon Lawery, Joshua Lawery, Lewis Lawery, and Samej Biggers. Many great aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends remain to cherish her memory. She is predeceased by her maternal grandfather, George Ryland, Jr.
Funeral service will be 11am Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at Central Church, 2015 Pennington Rd, Ewing NJ 08618. Calling hours will be 9am until the time of service. Interment will be at Ewing Cemetery, Ewing, NJ. Arrangements are by Hughes Funeral Home.
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