Asha Akosua Ellison-Tyler affectionately known as "Asha" or "Lil Bit", was born on September 17th, 1978, in New York City. Asha lived with her family in Blythewood, South Carolina and died peacefully at home on June 11, 2018. Asha was 39 at the time of her death.

Asha was born to Margaret McKenzie and John Ellison at The New York Infirmary in New York City. Asha was the older sister to two brothers, Shaka and Patrick. She attended Howard University and Potomac College, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. In 1999, Asha met the love of her life, Clint Tyler. They had their beautiful daughter, Aulani Christine Tyler, in 2004, and moved from Washington D.C. to Blythewood, South Carolina, in 2011.

Asha loved reading, music, singing, comic books and seafood, which is how her husband won her over when they first met. He took her to Phillip's Restaurant in Washington, D.C., where they gorged themselves on seafood. Asha was known for her random seafood concoctions (experiments!), relentless comic book debates, endless lectures on life, and unprovoked but always perfectly timed, "I love yous!"

Thinking about Asha, you can't help but think about her infectious smile, which was so very contagious. She loved her brothers and never forgot their birthdays. She was the timekeeper, reminding her Mother of her sons' birth dates, and her wedding anniversary. Asha would always call her family, eliciting help from her husband and daughter, and sing them Happy Birthday on their birthday.

Asha was the ultimate sister anyone could ever ask for: funny, witty, charming, a delight to be around, but you had better not mess with her brothers! Even though she was tiny, the smallest of the three, she was always the one who would come after anyone who even looked at her brothers the wrong way. Growing up, she would take her little brother Shaka everywhere she went and fuss with him when he complained about anything. When Patrick aced his PSAT, and was asked what he wanted as a reward, he wanted to go see his sister in Washington.

One of her biggest delights was teaching The Children's Moments in church. One particular Sunday Asha was scheduled to lead the children's moment and had not reviewed her lesson the day before. Clint remembered Asha studied the lesson in the car on the way to church, walked in five minutes before time to start, and conducted the lesson as if she had rehearsed it for days. That was the gift she had. She was intelligent, she was bright, and she was loved by all who knew her. But most of all, Asha loved God, who has now embraced her in his fold.

Asha was the daughter you would want. According to her mother, Margaret, she would always come through the back door into the house, throw open her arms, jump up the steps and say, "Ta-daa! I'm here!" They enjoyed fun times sitting by the pool in the summer, eating barbecue chicken, watermelon, and water, served by Dad Patrick. Little brother Patrick would be bouncing on the float, making waves and splashing them with water while Asha screamed for him to stop.

Asha dived into life; she loved life. You could count on her. She was dependable. Her brothers treated her like the princess she was and adored her. Sometimes they passed her around like a doll - the football player, the basketball player, and Lil Bit – but she wouldn't have had it any other way.

Asha is survived by her husband Clint, her daughter Aulani, her parents Margaret and Patrick McKenzie and John Ellison, brothers Shaka and Patrick, her Uncle George and numerous extended family members.

A service for Asha will be held at 2 o'clock Tuesday, June 19th at Trinity United Methodist Church, 90 Boney Rd., Blythewood, SC with Pastor Clyde Scott and Pastor Jo Ann Mann officiating. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 5 until 7 o'clock at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia.