Elayne Mary Sahley, age 92, passed away peacefully on September 17, 2026 . Born on November 6, 1933, in Cleveland, she was the beloved mother of Regina Ewing (Jeff) and Erica Gustafson (Fred Kotecki); grandmother of Alexander Hallal (Hannah), Elayna Hallal and Carly Ewing; great-grandmother of Faye Elayne Hallal; sister of Yarid Sahley (Diane), Norman Sahley (Jane) and Richard Sahley (Rosemary); daughter of the late Roger and Elizabeth Sahley (nee Bassett); and aunt, cousin, godmother and friend to many.
Elayne loved her daughters and grandchildren with her whole heart. She placed great importance on instilling strong values in her family, always striving to raise daughters and grandchildren who were smart, independent, and, above all, deeply loved. Spending time with her family meant the world to her. She was beyond thankful to have met her great-granddaughter, Faye.
Elayne lived life on her own terms -- independent, strong-willed, and unapologetically herself. She had a lifelong passion for gardening beginning as a young girl and continuing throughout her life; she earned the title of Master Gardener through The Ohio State University which gave her the opportunity to again garden at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School where her passion began in kindergarten.
In her early career, Elayne sang professionally in Cleveland and New York, even appearing on The Gene Carroll Show. She worked in radio and television and in advertising. After taking time to raise her daughters, she returned to the workforce as a bookkeeper through her retirement. She enjoyed her golden years spending time with her grandchildren, gardening, painting and travelling.
Elayne will continue to live on in the hearts and through the treasured memories she has made with all who had the pleasure of knowing her.
The family would like to give special thanks to her second family at The Embassy of Rockport for their unconditional love and support over the years and also to the caregivers from Miracle City Hospice for their compassionate care.
In lieu of flowers, the family would like to honor Elayne’s memory through donations to FoodStrong 6527 Superior Ave, Cleveland, OH 44103 https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/c09e21f0-0ea4-49f9-b33a-56f85b247d84.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 22 from 2-8PM at Corrigan Craciun Funeral Home 23040 Center Ridge Road, Westlake, OH. Trisagion Prayers will start at 7PM followed by memory sharing.
