Mary Viola Edwards

Mary passed away on  Saturday, September 11, 2021.

Mary is survived by her sister Lenore, her sisters-in-law Harriet and Marie and her four children; Pat, Nancy, Donna and Donald Jr.,  grandchildren, Marisa, Cory, Kristin, and great grandchildren, Lincoln and Rosalee, and Eliana and Duke.

Mary and her husband Don raised their children in Elyria before moving to Amherst for their final years.  When Mary became an “empty nester” She developed her two passions; Nutrition and Resale. Mary owned and managed several very successful Health Foods stores in both California and locally here in Ohio. When health food became more mainstream her passion shifted to Thrift stores, which again she owned or managed very successfully, and garage sales at her home. Mary’s real passion, which speaks to her character, was doing for others. She always made sure if anyone seemed to “need” something they perhaps could not afford she gave to them for free or nearly free.

She was preceded in death by her husband of forty-nine years, Donald Edwards in 2003; her siblings, Fannie Henry and Lena Hicks; and her parents, Leonard and Martha Henry (nee:Gilbert).

Public visitation for family and friends will be held on Friday, September 17, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the funeral at 10:00 a.m. at Hempel Funeral Home, Amherst.  Pastor Bob Wickens of Church of the Open Door in Elyria will officiate..

The family suggests that in lieu of flowers please donate to a homeless shelter, Habitat for Humanity, the Amherst Public Library, 221 Spring Street, Amherst, OH 44001, or the American Cancer Society, PO Box 897, Hershey, PA 17033.

Please visit the funeral home's website to share a memory and sign the guest register, www.hempelfuneralhome.com.

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