Tornado victim remembered for her loving spirit, faith
Published 1:35 pm Thursday, February 13, 2020
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A Marengo County resident was killed and another injured Thursday, Feb. 6, when a tornado destroyed their home.
Anita Yvonne Rembert, 54, was killed in the tornado and her husband, Rev. Curtis Rembert, was injured. Three children, the couple’s teen-aged daughter and two younger great-nieces, were also in the home, but were not seriously injured, according to a family member.
The tornado that caused the damage at the intersection of Hwy. 43 and Marengo County Road 54 was categorized by the National Weather Service as an EF-1 with winds of about 80 miles per hour.
Rembert served regularly as a substitute teacher for the Demopolis School System and was a minister at the True Light Tabernacle Holinesss Church.
“She was a very social person. She loved people and being involved through her work at the school and church. She was a very loving wife, mother, and friend,” said Cornell Mitchell, Rembert’s nephew.
Within the school system, Rembert was a popular substitute among teachers.
“The kids loved her, we loved her; she was a joy to be around,” said DMS eighth grade history teacher Deborah McAfee. “She always had a smile and treated the kids like they were her own. She took her job very seriously and, as a teacher, you wanted somebody like her taking care of your students.”
The tornado destroyed everything in the area of the Rembert’s home. A GoFundMe account is set up for the family and can be found under the name “The Rembert Family.”
“Everything was lost — home, transportation, clothes — everything perished,” Mitchell said.
Those wishing to help the family are also welcome to call 334-289-7079 or 334-289-5157.
Rev. Curtis Rembert was hospitalized with a leg injury and has since been released, according to Mitchell. He serves as the pastor at Mt. Horeb Baptist Church.
A celebration of life for Anita Rembert will be held Saturday, Feb. 22, noon, at the U.S. Jones Elementary School gymnasium. Interment will follow in Memorial Gardens in Demopolis. Larkin and Scott Mortuary is handling arrangements.
Along with her husband, Anita Rembert is survived by two children, Mandrell, a son who attends Marion Military Institute, and a 15-year-old daughter, Aniya.
(This article originally appeared in the Wednesday, February 12 issue of the Demopolis Times.)