Obituary for Leola Sweeney
Leola Korbel (Wassum) Sweeney (1918-2012)
Services for Leola Korbel (Wassum) Sweeney, 94, of Deltona, Fla., a retired administrative assistant, will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012. Mrs. Sweeney passed away Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, at DeBary Manor in DeBary, Fla.
Born Jan. 19, 1918, in Cleveland, she was a longtime Kirtland area resident before moving to Florida in 1984.
She was a graduate of John Adams High School and the former Wilcox College of Commerce in Cleveland. A lifelong animal rights advocate, she was an active member of numerous humane, wildlife and environmental organizations, and was a regular contributor to the PETA newsletter. She was also an accomplished pianist and organist, and for several years played at the piano bar of the former Towne House in Willoughby. She was a past president of the Deltona Organ Club and a pianist for the American Association of Retired Persons in DeBary, Fla.
She was retired from the former API Instruments (now LFE) Company in Chester Township and formerly worked at Curtis Industries in Eastlake. After retirement, she became active in Kirtland City government, where she served on the Charter Commission, Planning and Zoning Commissions and Kirtland City Council and as Kirtland City Council clerk. After moving to Deltona, Fla., she served on the first Deltona Incorporation Study Committee.
She is survived by her son, Ron Wassum (fiancee, Lori Churchfield) of Mentor; grandsons, Eric (Tina) Wassum and Brett Wassum; great-grandson, Andrew Wassum; and former daughter-in-law, Elaine Marin, all of Eastlake.
Her husband, George M. Sweeney, passed away in 1993. Her parents, Oliver and Emma (Hooker) Korbel, are also deceased.
Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, 2012, at the funeral home. The Rev. Robert A. Gaston will officiate at the service. Final resting place will be in Western Reserve Memorial Gardens in Chester Township.
In lieu of flowers, Mrs. Sweeney requested that contributions be made to the United States Humane Society, 2100 "L" Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20037.