Norma M. (Saba) Abdallah

Age 91

Dearly beloved wife of George (deceased); loving mother of Sam, Georgine, and Maria; cherished “Tita” of Michaela and Gabriel; devoted daughter of Gabriel and Pauline Saba (nee Asha)(both deceased); dear sister of the following deceased: Paul Saba, Georgette Abookire, Betty Ganim, Gloria Knechtl and Mabel Wragg; dear godmother and aunt of many nieces and nephews.

Norma was a life-long member of St. George Antiochian Church (Tremont) where she was baptized and married. She was very proud to grow up in Bird Town, a small pocket neighborhood in Lakewood, where all the streets are named after birds. It was a "company town" where all the immigrants worked at National Carbon.  Bird Town is now a tourist destination.

She attended Harrison, Harding, and graduated from Lakewood High.  Her first job was in the steno pool at US Steel in downtown Cleveland, and she was promoted to private secretary before leaving to start her family.

As a stay-at-home Mom, she became active in all things PTA including scouting, Den Mother, Scout Leader, Room Mother, and a nurse's aide.

She was also an active member of many organizations including the Friends of the Parma Libraries, the Partnership for the Cultural Arts, the Parma Area Chamber of Commerce, the Parma Area Fine Arts Council, The Parma Area Historical Society, The Parma Hospital Auxiliary, and Proud of Parma.  Norma was awarded Citizen of the Year by Parma Mayor Gerald M. Boldt.

After her husband’s health declined, she praised the excellent care he received at Pleasantview Health Care Center.  She was a founding member of the Healing Hearts of the Parma Senior Center, a bereavement group who shared family memories with each other.

After leaving Parma and moving to Rocky River, she became active in Bay Arts and represented them at the Chamber of Commerce, joined the Play Readers at the RRSC, along with their singing group, and also joined the Funsters at Fairview SC, where she was able to sing and perform dancing skits. Singing and ballroom dancing were her passions.

Seeing her three children graduate from college were great and proud moments for her. Since she wasn't able to attend college in her youth, at age 80 she was happy to start college at the Senior level at CSU.

As per her wishes, private services will be held and in lieu of flowers, donations are requested to her beloved church, St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, 2587 West 14th Street, Cleveland, OH 44113.

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