Emily Margaret Shemas

Emily Margaret (Mansour) Shemas, 87, passed bravely and full of grace into eternal life on January 28, 2016 in her home surrounded by her family and loved ones. Emily was born on December 29, 1928 in Huntington, WV to Elia Louis Mansour, a grocer, owner of Mansour’s Food Market, and his wife Marie (Yazbek) Mansour, both Lebanese immigrants to the U.S. Emily grew up in a close, loving family, full of traditions and rich in love of faith, home cooking, entertainment, music, and laughter along with her younger siblings Mitchell, Rosalie and George. She was a strong and intelligent woman who excelled in academics and went to work at the Huntington Board of Education after graduating from Huntington High School to utilize the office skills she was gifted with. Emily met James Frank Shemas, Attorney at Law, from Toledo, OH, also a son of Lebanese immigrants, at a Syrian-Lebanese convention and both were the love of each others’ lives from that moment on. Their long distance courtship began after Jim’s service in WWII as an Intelligence Officer, Captain, in the US Army Air Corp. Emily married Jim on June 11, 1950 in Huntington, WV. Emily then moved to Toledo with Jim and went to work for the Toledo Board of Education before devoting herself to the care of her husband and their five children, Constance, Michael, Christine, George, and David. She was a devoted member of St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church, serving on the church board as secretary, and member of the Ladies Society holding numerous offices. She co-published the “Syrian-Lebanese Cook Book Festive Foods” for St. Elias Ladies which is still in print today. She loved music, played piano, and sang in the St. Elias choir along with other choirs in the area. She was gifted in cooking, baking, and entertaining. She was excellent in the kitchen and taught many young people the secrets to her delicious cuisine. She was skilled as a seamstress making clothes for her family and was quite talented in cutting/styling hair. She was a Dame in the Order of St. Ignatius, donated her time in support of local charities, and worked tirelessly for her church, especially during the St. Elias Summer Festivals and the Fall Ladies’ Food and Crafts Bizarre. Qualities that remained constant were her love of faith, commitment to her family, compassion, kindness and generosity. She was a wonderful, nurturing daughter, sister, wife, mother, and Sitto; beautiful inside and out. Emily and James were married 61 years at the time of Jim’s passing. They remain united forever. Those left to cherish her memory are children, Michael Shemas (Pamela) of Magnolia, AR, Christine Shemas Darah (George) of Sylvania, OH, George Shemas (Valerie) of Dublin, OH, David Shemas (Barbara) of Tucson, AZ, and son-in-law Joseph Thomson of Toledo, OH; six beloved grandchildren, John, Grace, Aaron, Olivia, Sophie and Christopher; sister, Rosalie Summers; and brother, George Mansour (Mary Ann); sister-in-laws, Melanie Mansour and Sally Shemas, brother-in-law William Darah Sr.; and many loving nieces and nephews. Emily was preceded in death by her parents Elia and Marie Mansour, husband James Shemas, daughter Constance Shemas Thomson, and brother Mitchell Mansour. Emily and family would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the home caregivers and RNs that gave of their time and care to help her stay home in comfort for the last 4 years of her life. She received the best care possible and we are grateful to each of you. Visitation will be held at Walker Funeral Home, 5155 Sylvania Ave. (west of Corey Rd), Toledo, OH on Monday, February 1, 2016 from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with Trisagion Prayers at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will also be held on Tuesday, February 2 at 10:00 a.m. with funeral following at 11:00 a.m., at St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church, 4940 Harroun Rd, Sylvania, OH, Very Rev. Archpriest Ayman Kfouf presiding, followed by interment at Toledo Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Emily’s memory to the St. Elias Church Endowment Fund. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.walkerfuneralhomes.com. Memory eternal thou good and faithful servant!