Edith Wales

Edith (Abdo) Wales lived for 96 years through temperance, humility and hard work. She died Saturday April 21, 2012 of lung disease in Charleston, SC with both her daughters at her side. If her body had not worn out, she would have gladly stayed another hundred years, caring for her family members and bargaining with God that all their sins might be forgiven. She was the fifth of eleven children born to Charlie and Mary (Anton) Abdo who emigrated from the Middle East after the turn of the century and settled in Toledo. She married Clarke Oliver Wales in 1939, after friends set them up on a blind date. He matched her moderation with unending mischief, and she responded with an unbending love. He died in 1996, knowing she made him a better man. When Clarke joined the Navy during World War II, Edie went to work at the Autolite factory. She stayed on after the war ended. When the factory downsized, she got a job at JC Penney's where she worked almost three decades, selling men's suits. Because 50 years of paid work wasn't quite enough, she spent her retirement rocking sick babies at The Toledo Children's Hospital, where the nursing staff bestowed her with the official title of Fairy Godmother. Petite in stature, Edie surprised many with her tenacity. She was never late for anything in her entire life. She followed doctor's orders with military precision. She went to church every Sunday. She cursed rarely and then, only in Arabic. She hardly ever said a mean thing about anyone. But when she did, you deserved it. Edie was the matriarch to a family of many strong, accomplished women and a few good-looking men. She is survived by her brother Lewis Abdo and sister Romaine (Beauty) Mathias. She was incredibly proud of her daughters Janice McBride and Joyce DeLucia, and mildly amused by their husbands Bob McBride and Jim DeLucia. She helped raise her six grandchildren: Tim, Kelly and Sean McBride; Nicole (DeLucia) Bowers (married to Bob Bowers), Tricia DeLucia-Sibani (married to Fadi Sibani) and Marcy DeLucia. Edie was known as "Sity" to her seven great-grandchildren: Kelly's kids Molly, Clarke and Maggie Jacobson, Sean's kids Robin and Spencer, and Nicole's kids Ava and Nicholas. Memorial donations can be made in her name to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1825 Glendale Ave., Toledo, Ohio 43614. Viewing is from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday April 27 at Bersticker-Scott Funeral Home, 3453 Heatherdowns Blvd. The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday April 28 at the funeral home. Don' t be late.

Visitation Details

Friday, April 27th, 2012 2:00pm - 8:00pm, Bersticker-Scott Funeral Home

Service Information

Saturday, April 28th, 2012 10:30am, Bersticker-Scott Funeral Home

Interment Details

Ottawa Hills Memorial Park Cemetery