Kathleen Estelle Ayiku

Kathleen Estelle Clark Ayiku — known to all who loved her as “Kyttie” — arrived in this world on July 30, 1946 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and from her very first breath, she was entirely, unapologetically herself. Even as a young girl, Kyttie had a spirit that refused to be ordinary. When she discovered that a Y could stand in for an I, and that IE could do the same, she made the change at once and never looked back. Kitty became Kyttie, and that was that — a small, perfect declaration of the creative, free-spirited person she would always be.

After graduating from Wilkinsburg High School in 1964, Kyttie did what adventurous spirits do: she packed her bags and headed to New York City, where she would spend over a decade coming into her own. It was in New York that her passion for publishing, design, and typography truly came alive. She found her professional home at the legendary Doubleday Publishing, nurturing a love of the written word, the crafted image, and the beauty of a perfectly composed page.

Kyttie eventually returned to Pittsburgh, and it was there that her greatest adventure of all arrived — the birth of her only daughter, Tiffany Quiana Ayiku, in 1977. Never one to sit still for long, Kyttie soon set her sights on a new horizon. Armed with her infant daughter and her ever-present adventurous spirit, she relocated to the Washington, D.C. area and secured a position at the Bureau of National Affairs (BNA), a government-adjacent publishing company. Always industrious, Kyttie often worked two jobs while simultaneously taking graduate-level typography and graphic design courses at George Washington University. Her dedication paid off beautifully: she grew into a talented graphic designer at BNA, where she retired after thirty years of service.

Throughout her life, two great loves never left Kyttie’s heart — jazz and Africa. In her younger years, she traveled to Côte d’Ivoire, where she lived for six months, a chapter of her story that shaped her deeply and stayed with her always. Like her father Junebug, she treasured jazz music, and could often be found wrapped in the warm, soulful sounds of Roy Hargrove and Sarah Vaughan.

In retirement, she channeled both passions into purpose. She continued to work on a project she began many years before: chronicling the great jazz musicians of Pittsburgh, honoring the art form she had cherished her whole life. She opened Seku — a name she crafted from her own identity: “SEe Kyttie AyikU” — a home décor business celebrating African textile traditions. With her gifted hands, Kyttie created stunning pillows, throws, tablecloths, and runners from kuba cloth, mud cloth, and other treasured African fabrics, bringing beauty and cultural richness into the homes of those who owned her work.

To know Kyttie was to love her — completely and without reservation. She had a laugh that filled a room, a smile that could light one up, and a mischievous twinkle in her eye that let you know something wonderful and probably a little outrageous was coming. She loved to have fun, spend time with friends and family, and to “act up” with her nieces, nephews, and those she called friends. She was once a proud member of a motorcycle club, made several trips to Africa, and made a mean sandwich. She had a literal room full of huge, glorious plants that she called “my babies”. Kyttie always looked fly in her Damali, and — as those who knew her best will attest — she always took hers off the top.

She joins her father, George “Junebug” Clark, her mother, Gertrude Jones, her brother, Stephen Clark, and her beloved husband, John Ashton in eternal rest in heaven.

Kyttie leaves behind a legacy of joy, creativity, and fearless living. She will be lovingly and joyfully remembered by her devoted daughter, Tiffany (Tiki) Ayiku, whom she called her sunshine; her son-in-law, Bryon Harvey and his daughter, Tatiana; her stepmother, Jane Clark; her sister, Kimberly Tymous; and her brothers, George Russell Clark and Jeffery Jones. She also leaves her niece, Jasmine Tymous, and her great-nieces Jiana and Jahara, with whom she shared a special bond. Last, Kyttie leaves a cherished host of nieces, nephews, godchildren, and treasured friends who each knew the privilege of being loved by her.

Kyttie was a joyful, bubbly, and adventurous spirit who lived life entirely on her own terms — and made it look beautiful every step of the way. Please remember her with love and laughter in your heart.