Earlena McCray Fletcher was born on June 15, 1965, to Evelyn McCray and Robert Earl McCray.  Earlena was raised in Quinton, New Jersey and attended Salem High School.  After high school, Earlena went into the workforce, at various locations.  She worked as a customer service representative at Dupont.

Earlena was known for her cooking, which kept everyone coming back for more.  Cooking was more than a hobby, for her it was her passion.  Earlena enjoyed family vacations, swimming, bowling, playing cards, and shooting pool.  Even though she wasn't too fond of skating and coaching baseball, she did every and anything to please her family and kids.  She loved plants and gardening.  If there was room for another plant in the house, she will invade and position that plant.  Her favorite flower was carnations.  She was an articulate food critic.  Her favorite phrase was "I should have been a food inspector".  She loved being with family and mostly spending time with her grandkids.  The best way to describe her is loving, selfless, and making sure others were "good".

Earlena was preceded in death by Jincy and Elijah Merriweather.  She leaves to cherish in her memory her devoted and loving husband, William, son Karim and daughter Kendra.  Grandchildren, Zahriya, Kahli se, and Kiari.  Her siblings: Nasir Jihad (Kimberly), Marcella Moore (Jarvis), Monique Freeman (Matthew), Donna Brightwell, Dana Brightwell, Kenny Grasty, and Elijah McCray.  Mother-in-law, Charlotte Fletcher, brother and sisters-in-laws: Daud "David" Tulam, Victoria Spence, Katharine, Deanna, and Christine Fletcher.  Goddaughter, Trikeia McCray- Pollard (Travis) and many nieces, nephews and cousins.