Edith Edie Charlotte Riedell Zuidema

Our Mom, Edie Zuidema grew up in Chicago back in the days of Al Capone. It was a wild and wooly time in Cicero, IL. Her big brother Wally looked out for her and called her “Kiddo”. The only daughter, she used say our Nana (her mother) spoiled her. After graduating high school, Mom started her modeling days on Michigan Avenue and kept her cat walk style her entire life. She met our Dad in Chicago. After getting married, they headed to California where their daughter Jarine was born. Then they decided if they were going to settle down and raise a family, California was no place to be. Too much party time! So they headed back to Chicago to be surrounded by family. They built a house in Wheaton, outside of Chicago where Claire and John were born. Getting the travel itch again, four years later, they headed to Florida to fulfill new dreams. Mom and Dad built another house in Largo, which ended up being the family house we grew up in. Dad was a tool and die maker and when work dried up, Dad boarded up the house and we headed back to Cicero to live with our Nana in the family house Mom grew up in. After we saved enough money, we came back to the family house in Largo, where we spent our childhood. Dad had four sisters and they treated Mom like one of the sisters. Our family were the first ones to come to Florida, followed by Gramma Grace and Grandpa John, then came Auntie Jean (along with Uncle Al), Auntie Kay, Aunt Ann (along with Uncle Earl) and Auntie Marty. Mom's brother Wally, and Aunt Laverne stayed in Chicago, along with his four children, Susanne, Janet, Carolyn, and Walt. Every once in a while, we got to go back to Chicago to visit them and Nana. We were always near family, with large cousin gatherings every Christmas and special occasions. In Florida, our cousins were Nancy, Glenn, Larry, Laurie, Barb and Karen, Patty (and Jim), and Diane, John (and MaryJo), Margie, JoEllen, Juliet, and Jeffrey; and in Chicago, there were Pam, Grace, Dianna, Deb, Susanne, Janet, Carolyn, and Walt.

Growing up, while our Dad started the business, to provide steady income, Mom went to work at E-Systems (now Raytheon) for thirty plus years. She worked as a Receptionist in the Engineering Lobby. She was the official "greeter" and took care to ensure everyone was made to feel welcomed. She remembered everyone's name, even visitors that only came once a year. As part of the Security Department, Mom was in charge of securing badge access, the company newsletter and we remember her as the party planner…..retirement, Christmas, charity donations. Mom loved hanging out with her gal pals: Bonita, Shirley, Mary and Linda. I'm sure there were others she was fond of. As young women, Mom taught us not only the value of friendship and career, but also how to cook and sew. She made many of our clothes, curtains and ballerina bedspreads. As we got older, she taught us how to sew. Every Spring and Fall, we went to Maze Fabrics and picked out our pattern and fabrics. When we were involved in Scouts, Mom volunteered as a Girl Scout leader and enjoyed mentoring young girls on etiquette and proper ways to sit and walk. She loved taking us to the beach, and standing at the window watching lightening storms. When the power would go out, folks in the neighborhood would come to our house because we had gas. We could cook grill cheese, and s’mores. Mom was a great cook..she could cook anything..spaghetti, meatloaf, porkchops. Breakfast for dinner, beans and weenies on Saturday night. When we were younger, we would go camping and while our Dad hunted, Mom tended the fire and the campground and watched over us. Mom was also a healer. When Dad was operated on for lung cancer, she read all of the literature on food as medicine. She cooked nutritious meals including healing herbs, spices and stewed tomatoes known for containing lycopene. His cancer never came back. Mom didn’t like taking pills, and throughout her life used herbs and food as medicine. Later in life, Dr. Dean, one of her favorite doctors told us, your mother is 80 years old and she’s lived a good life. If she doesn’t want to take her cholesterol medication, she doesn’t have to. He said, I tell my mother the same things. Mom said we worried too much. One of Mom’s favorite song’s, was “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”.

Mom didn’t want to be the center of attention. She preferred to support us all on our journeys. As we all got married, Mom delighted in hanging out with her children, the aunts, nieces and nephews, and grandchildren. Jarine got married to Chris and she always treated Chris like her own son. Claire got married to Dino, eventually moving to Tennessee. Mom loved visiting their Alpaca farm in TN, going for walks with her walking stick, doting on Lex, Christy, Kat, Roni, Dustin, Daniel and Lexi. She also loved John's children and grandchildren, Jaime (and Kirk), John IV, Tiffani, Kayla, and Kyle. Mom's favorite Christmas present to give the kids was new Christmas pajamas, a tradition she carried on for many years. She loved going to Christmas Eve church service, singing Christmas carols, and hosting Christmas Eve dinner at her house, with her famous roast beef, yeast rolls, and hot German potato salad. Everyone looked forward to her cooking.

Mom and Dad were married for 48 years. When Dad passed, and the family house became too much, Mom moved to a villa at Seven Springs Golf and Country Club, enjoying new friends, water aerobics, and the garden club. Her neighbors, Tom and Carole, Dick and Alice, Mary and Yolanda looked after her, and she after them. Mom volunteered at Hospice and Trinity Presbyterian knitting lap blankets for cancer patients and others suffering from illness or grief. She also enjoyed taking care of neighbors who couldn't drive, taking them to the doctor or their errands.

Three years ago, when Mom broke her hip, our cousin Grace came over from Orlando to take care of Mom. Grace doted on Mom helping her with her recovery, making her special healing meals, and providing motivation for her physical therapy. Grace, Mom and Jarine had good times getting out to the beach and going to Mom’s favorite restaurants. But Mom’s recovery was difficult and she decided to give up her villa and move closer to be with family and try out a Senior Living Community, Stratford Court. For the next three years, Stratford Court became her new family and she enjoyed making new friends, good food, happy hour on Friday nights, seeing Melissa the onsite Physician’s Assistant, and Jill the Bayada nurse. Mom was a romantic, and loved watching the Hallmark Channel movies, the Bachelorette, and Dancing with the Stars. Saturday was Mom's day, and she and Jarine would go for Thai food, or for a smoothie, to get her nails and hair done or to see Chris and feed Jeanie her favorite dog treats. Paul at Paul’s Hair Salon, Ric and Julie always made her feel special serving tea and cookies or whatever special something they had cooking. She looked so pretty after Ric did her hair and Julie did her nails. And sometimes for a special treat, she would see my friend Lisa, at Saks, for a facial. Sunday mornings were filled watching the worship channel and reading the paper. Mom always stayed up-to-date on current events, and could talk about politics or anything going on in the world. John visited on Sunday afternoons where they watched Mom’s favorite teams play baseball or football. Mom loved the Cubs and the Rays and she kept track of the player’s stats. She had them written down on a piece of paper she updated every week.

Six months ago after another broken hip, Mom moved into Skilled Nursing and she formed new friendships. Not one to spend time in her room, Mom was in activities before the door opened until it was time for dinner. Even Dr. Levine knew to schedule his appointment with her last during the day, so that she didn't miss Bingo. Nady always made sure she was included in outings. Kelly, who was her favorite nursing aide doted on her and made her feel special; Tom, her favorite physical therapist motivated her; and my friend Sandee, Resident Care Manager from Independent Living, looked out for her. I’m sure there were others who were her favorites that we are not naming; she appreciated everyone. John spent Sunday’s with her taking her over to the Stratford dining room on Sundays to enjoy Sunday brunch. John and MaryJo would visit often, they made her laugh. She loved to laugh. Mom loved getting cards, pictures, letters and phone calls from nieces, nephews and grandchildren. Grace, kept in touch sending cards, and letters. Mom’s Chicago nieces Susanne, Janet, Carolyn and held a special place in her heart for keeping in touch with her all those years. Every holiday they send special Holiday cards and called to see how she was. Mom’s bulletin board was adorned with all of the cards and good wishes that she received. Always polite and gracious, Mom saved the return address on all of the cards so that eventually she could write thank you letters.

After six months in skilled nursing, on Thanksgiving Day, Mom’s heart gave out, and in the end, she passed peacefully in her sleep. Fiercely independent, her entire life, she did it her way on her own time. To know our mother’s love was to be loved unconditionally. There is no greater gift a parent can give a child. She never passed judgment on us. She allowed us to make our own mistakes and encouraged us to be ourselves. She never spoke a harsh word to any of us, or about anyone. Everything she did, and everyone she touched knew her smile, her warmth and her giving nature. The last surviving matriarch of the family, Mom is now with Dad, Nana, Gramma Grace and Grandpa John, her brother Uncle Wally and Aunt LaVerne, Auntie Jean, Uncle Al, Aunt Ann, Uncle Earl, Auntie Marty, and Auntie Kay, Nancy, Pat, Diane, Pam, and Wendy. We are sure they are welcoming her with open arms, and we look forward to seeing them again someday.

In the end Mom will be remembered for being a kind friend, a compassionate listener, loving life, caregiver, devoted wife, blessed mother, grandmother, aunt, loyal employee, gardener, wonderful cook, healer, independent, a lover of everything beautiful in the world, always with a smile, sunrises, ladybugs, springalators, and a foxy mama. Thank you Mom for all you did for us. We hope you enjoyed the ride. We want to thank all of our friends and family as you supported us during this journey.

Mom’s favorite causes included Suncoast Hospice www.suncoasthospice.org and she loved animals. She and Dad adopted several rescues through the years including 2 dogs named Polo, and Gypsy. http://humanesocietyofpinellas.org/ Mom also enjoyed going to special services with Jarine at First Presbyterian Church of Safety Harbor, 255 5th Avenue South, Safety Harbor, FL 34695 www.firstpressh.org. Since one of Mom's favorite songs was "Don't Worry, Be Happy", we think she would love for you to remember her with the following passage: Philippians 4:6-7: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2 PM, Sunday, December 15, 2013, with Reception following, at the First Presbyterian Church of Safety Harbor, FL, 255 5th Avenue South, Safety Harbor, FL 34695

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