Sally Ellis Shemas

Sally Ellis Shemas, 89, of White Lake, Mich., formerly of Toledo, Ohio, died April 1, 2017 at home surrounded by her loving family. Sally was born in Cleveland, Ohio on Dec. 31, 1927 and moved to Toledo in 1936. She attended Woodward High School (class of ’42). Sally married Nicholas Frank Shemas on Oct. 20, 1945, and began a family that included three children, Jeffery, Gregory and Nicole. They established and worked together in their first business, as co-owners of Colonial Dry Cleaners. After the devastating loss of their son Jeffery, in 1964, Sally began selling beauty and barber supplies for Hunter Supply Company. She had the distinction of being the first woman salesperson in that field in the Midwest. Later, she and Nick purchased the company, renaming it Beauty World of Toledo. After closing Beauty World in 1988, Sally began a new career in real estate, where she worked for Di Salle Real Estate Co. and later, Loss Realty Group Family was first and foremost for Sally. She and Nick hosted many, many family gatherings and celebrations. Her love of family extended to the friends of her children and acquaintances. They knew they could find love and support along with a good meal and conversation at the Shemas home. Sally enjoyed and encouraged lively discussions around the dinner table, where no topic was off limits, including civil rights and the Vietnam War. She enjoyed sharing her love of the Lebanese culture and heritage, along with her love of the Christian Orthodox religion. Her great memory made her a vivid story teller. She loved the tradition of oral history and was often called upon to entertain listeners with her stories. In the book “Arab Americans in Toledo” edited by her good friend, Professor Samir Abu Absi of the University of Toledo, a chapter is dedicated to recollections of her experiences as a young girl growing up in Toledo. Sally loved to travel and her journeys included trips to Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Rio de Janeiro, Austria and Switzerland. She enthusiastically enjoyed the culture of distant places and meeting new people. Most of all, she loved the United States and stayed up-to-date with current affairs, politics and Middle Eastern policies. She enjoyed the beauty of language, both English and Arabic, and was an avid reader. She also was a writer, and along with her husband, composed many original poems to mark special occasions of friends and family. Music was another of Sally’s loves, and her taste was eclectic. From Nina Simone, Pavarotti, and Motown, to Sinatra and everything in between, Sally wore out plenty of stereo speakers in her time. Sally was a devoted lifetime member of St. Elias Antiochian Christian Orthodox Church in Toledo, Ohio, chairing many fundraisers, banquets and social events. One of the highlights of her life was meeting His Holiness Patriarch Elias in 1977, and receiving his personal prayer beads from his hand. During the 1990s, Sally was active in the Greater Toledo Arab American Association (GTAAA), planning and executing many events that brought Christian and Muslim professionals together. There, she made great friends from both communities. In 2001, Sally moved to White Lake, Mich., to be with her daughter’s family. Enjoying the multi-generational lifestyle was a joy for Sally, and she became Tiata (grandmother) to everyone she met. Once again, her house and heart was open to all the young friends of her grandchildren, and she offered up much wisdom and advice. She loved Michigan and all the beauty surrounding her, but still enjoyed trips to Toledo to get her hair done by her long time hair stylist, Kathy Godell. Surviving are her son, Gregory Shemas (Kit); daughter, Nicole Keller (Michael); grandchildren, Christa (Robert) Cornell, Michael Shemas, Stephanie Gagliano (Joseph), Anthony (Jamie) Keller, Nicholas Keller; great-grandchildren, Madeline and Nolan Cornell, Lucy and Rose Gagliano and Josie Keller, along with many beloved nieces and nephews in the Toledo area and around the country. Sally was preceded in death by her husband, Nicholas; son, Jeffery; parents, Fr. Elias Ellis and mother, Julia; siblings, William Ellis, George Ellis, Peggy Bismark, Jean Margy, and Lillian Nassar. The family wishes to thank Great Lakes Hospice of Oakland County, especially Sue, Monda, Tracy, Shannon and Latisha, for their care of Sally and her family. Visitation will be Thursday, April 6, from 3-8 p.m. at Walker Funeral Home, 5155 W. Sylvania Ave., Toledo, Ohio, where a Trisagion prayer service will be held at 7. Visitation also will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, April 7, at St. Elias, 4949 Harroun Rd., Sylvania, Ohio, where funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. with V. Rev. Archpriest Ayman Kfouf and V. Rev. Archpriest Joseph Antypas officiating. Burial will be at Toledo Memorial Park. Donations in Sally’s memory may be made to the St. Elias Orthodox Church Endowment Fund, or to a charity of your choice. In addition, a separate memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, 2160 E Maple Rd, Troy, MI 48083