Elisabeth "Elissa" Rumford's Obituary
Elisabeth (Elissa) Mary Rumford, born on September 24, 1996, tragically passed away the afternoon of October 31, 2024, in a car accident while traveling to her family home to join her parents and sister’s family for a fun Halloween evening in the neighborhood.
Elissa was a beautiful, intelligent, and creative soul, known for her vibrant spirit, infectious laughter, and strong work ethic. Growing up in a loving Christian home, she shared a deep bond with her sister, Kaila, with whom she professed her faith through baptism in 2005. Although not outwardly religious, in her 20s Elissa maintained a private and personal relationship with Jesus.
Homeschooled in a wonderful community, Elissa was afforded the opportunity to focus on areas she was passionate about from a young age. Her talents in fashion, photography, and music flourished. Coupled with dedicated effort, these led her to earn a degree in Creative Advertising with a minor in Business Management from Virginia Commonwealth University and also pave a way for many of her future endeavors.
Elissa was a visionary in her professional life, co-founding and serving as the Chief Creative Officer of Ap0cene, a fashion tech company, where her creativity, leadership, and marketing prowess were instrumental in shaping the company’s direction and success. She saw Ap0cene as the realization of her entrepreneurial dreams, creating a powerful platform for small brands to thrive, and she poured all of herself into the business, growing it into an internationally recognized brand together with her team, whom she loved like family.
In her spare time, Elissa used her creativity to make large and small multi-media art, as well as to craft bespoke fashion from items like Amazon packaging and plastic bags in order to raise awareness about waste and sustainability. These fashions have been featured in hilarious video skits, which have been well loved by millions on social media. Also a talented musician, Elissa played the violin and had recently become the lead singer in a band.
Health was on top of mind for Elissa. She was known for her weekly meal planning (cooking healthy every Sunday night for the week without fail) and her sushi nights that brought family and friends together. Elissa had a remarkable ability to connect with others, and it wasn't uncommon for her to run into 2-3 friends just walking to the grocery store in Richmond. She was also an avid outdoor enthusiast, who loved camping, kayaking, and running/exercising on trails, as well as spending time in the community garden behind her building, surrounded by flowers and trees, a place she found peace and loved sharing with her friends.
She cherished her close relationships and especially the bond she had with her sister, Kaila. They were soul sisters who shared stories and laughter together daily, including special interactions with her beloved young niece and nephew. She often expressed to her parents how grateful she was for their upbringing and recently told her mom, "thank you for always pointing me to God." Her entrepreneurial spirit was encouraged by her parents who taught her the importance of hard work and following her dreams while seeking the Lord’s guidance in everything.
Elissa is survived by her parents, Tim and Kathleen; her sister Kaila, brother-in-law Alfredo, and her cherished niece Aniela and nephew Nolan; her grandmothers Margaret Rumford and Jeanne Shuster; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and countless friends. She was preceded in death by her grandfathers, George and Kimball, and her sister’s baby, Sol.
Elissa’s legacy will not just live on through our memories and the lives she touched but also through her work and her community that will have a ripple effect, including "The Elissa Rumford Grant for Emerging Designers" (see below). We celebrate her life and the joy she brought to all of us, finding comfort in knowing she is now with her Savior.
Elissa's Celebration of Life took place on Saturday, November 16, 2024.
To see the video replay, click here https://vimeo.com/1031123616?share=copy
Find more about our unique creative Elissa here: https://www.elisabethrumford.com
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to any of the following organizations:
- Endurance Leadership Mission Trips (Elissa went to Ghana and Nicaragua as a teen) https://www.enduranceleadership.org/
- Samaritan’s Purse (for 12 years, Elissa filled Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts with her mom) https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child
- Apocene Fashion Fund—a nonprofit dedicated to raising and distributing the "The Elissa Rumford Grant for Emerging Designers" https://www.gofundme.com/f/empower-emerging-designers-the-elissa-rumford-grant
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