Ricarda Jenny Ortega-Cooney, 47 of Otto, North Carolina, passed away on November 2, 2021.

Ricki is preceded in death by her mother Rosie Ortega, her father Sahadeo (Sammy) Maharajh, and her brother David Ortega. She leaves to mourn her beloved husband, Michael Cooney, her siblings Dianne, Vishnu (Benji), Bernadine (B), Sharon, Rawle and Richard, her nieces and nephews Khalil, Khadijah, Karim, Kristopher, Kristol, Kristin and Kristine, her mother-in-law Pauline Cooney, her father-in-law Thomas Cooney, her sisters- and brothers-in-law, Margaret, David, Deirdre, Adrienne, and Tricia, as well as their children, Christopher, Jack, Grace, Eamon, Henry, Olivia, Charlotte, Aine, and Clara, and her many friends and former co-workers.

Ricki was born in Trinidad, but has lived in the United States for most of her life. She worked for British Airways for many years, where she enjoyed her work and the opportunities for travel it provided. Ricki and her husband Michael recently made the transition from living in big cities such as New York and Atlanta, to the quiet of western North Carolina, where they have enjoyed exploring the beautiful countryside. Ricki has long advocated for mental illness awareness and suicide prevention, and her family and friends vow to continue those efforts in her honor.

A visitation will be held at Macon Funeral Home at 261 Iotla Street, Franklin, NC, on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, at 6 p.m. Rosary to follow at 7:30 p.m.

A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday November 11, 2021, at St Francis of Assisi, 299 Maple Street, Franklin, NC.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to The National Alliance on Mental Illness at https://donate.nami.org/fundraiser/3585039.

Macon Funeral Home will be handling the arrangements.