Regina C. Bussey

Regina C. Bussey was born on June 21, 1950 in Washington, District of Columbia to Frances Jones Wood and the late Willie “Sonny” Lee Wilson.  

She was the oldest of all her siblings and was a proud Washingtonian.  She matriculated through the District of Columbia Public School system and graduated from McKinley Technical High School.  Regina was always a leader; at the age of eleven, she convinced her sister and three of her best girlfriends to start a singing group named the “LaShawns.”  The LaShawns traveled throughout the neighborhood entertaining with music by Glady’s Knight and the Pips, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Mary Wells and the Marvelettes. The LaShawns was well-known in northeast, in particular the Trinidad/Montello Avenue neighborhood. At the age of twelve, The LaShawn’s recorded a song named Homicide/Suicide.  

Regina was a true servant of people, a leader of many and an unsung “she-roe” in her Stanton Terrace community.  She was known for being supportive, protective, loving, and for standing her ground.  Regina was most well known for having a colorful vocabulary, some would say “Regina knew how to put it together!”  Regina was affectionately known by several family nicknames, “Sis”, “Goomer” and “Dink.” 

Regina, begin her career in public service with the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing and later started working with the U. S. Department of Labor.  After several years of working in the federal government, Regina began working in her true passion, working with youth and young adults.  She started her youth development career with the Greater Washington Boys and Girls Club as a Youth Counselor and later because of her exemplary service she further her youth development career with Sasha Bruce Youth Works as a Senior Youth Counselor.  Regina touched the lives of so many youths because of her undying love to encourage, strengthen and empower them to see their ability to stand despite of their current circumstances.  After years of working in youth development Regina went on to work with Securitas Security Services providing safety and greeting families and guest as they entered the former DC General Hospital and Unity Healthcare Clinic.

Beyond all of Regina’s professional attributes and witty character traits her greatest accomplishments and her most important roles was that as a protective daughter, supportive sister, loving mother, and a loyal friend.  She enjoyed her community and shared good times, love and laughter with many.  She loved playing cards and bingo.  She enjoyed her cabarets, dancing, washing everybody clothes, ironing and cooking soul food with real love for her family. Some of her famous dishes were her deviled eggs, yams, fried chicken and her great grandson would say her spaghetti. 

Regina’s heartbeat, internal joy and who captured the true essence of her undying love was her family.  She believed in making sure her mother, siblings, children, nieces, nephews, cousins, adopted children and even her community had whatever they needed, and she often denied herself to meet the needs of others.

Regina was the big sister, and she was proud to be it.  She often found herself reminding her younger siblings she was the oldest.  She protected and cared for them and showered them with love and strong support.  She was a caring daughter who took care of her mother with love and respect until the day she was called home to glory. 

Regina was the Aunt that could fight all your battles and protected you from harm and reminded you of how great you were and that you should fear no-one but respect everyone.

Regina’s most meaningful accomplishment were the birth of her three children, Lynette, James and Stephanie.  She considered and treated all her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren like the gifts they were from God.  She loved them so much and refused to allow them to worry about her health, her life’s struggles, or dilemmas.  She loved hard and showed them tough love.  She wanted to ensure her children could endure the challenges of life and have the resiliency to bounce back from life’s failures.

Regina lived a full life she loved God and had a wonderful spiritual journey.  She knew that to serve God she had to be truly connected… during her young adult years she embraced the Islam faith and later found her comfort and solace in understanding Islam Christianity.

Regina was preceded in death by her father Willie “Sonny” Lee Wilson, her grandmother Evelyn Jones, her brother Leo Chestnut and her niece Patrice “Peach” Osborne. Regina leaves to cherish her memory her mother, Frances Wood, her children, Lynette Woody, James Simpson (Kisha), Stephanie Bussey-Reeder (Dionne), five granddaughters, Jamese Hunter, Sharmell Bussey, Bryana Simpson, Janiya Simpson and Jaden Simpson, three grandsons, Gerrel Woody, Jamall Woody, Jamair Donaldson, six great-grandchildren, Autumn Bussey, Niyel Woody, Niyaire Ingram, Jaaziah Woody, Madison Hunter and Nova Pitts, two sisters, Amira (Candy) Muhammad and Teresa (Missie) Wood, two brothers, Keith Simmons and Michael Wood, life-long friends, Elaine, Shelly, Margie, Angela and Roland; her god-children Fonda, Bernice, Precious and Dwayne and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

The family has arranged for a Public Viewing

The service is private yet viewable via http://www.tributeoflove.org/