Edna Whitcomb

Edna A. Whitcomb passed away on "Easter Sunday", April 21, 2019, after battling a variety of medical conditions for several months.

Edna, along with her parents, legally immigrated from Germany, to the United States in 1936, when she was ten years old. Edna grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Both she and her parents assimilated into our nation's culture, learned English and at the age of 17 graduated from Frankfurt High School.

She married William Weisbach in 1948 and had two children Susan (Sweikhart) and Tina (Strohmeier). Bill and Edna owned, for many years, a popular and successful hardware store (Weisbach Hardware) in Warminster, Pennsylvania that they later sold prior to moving to Gulf Breeze, Florida in 1974. They lived in the Villa Venyce subdivision for many years and enjoyed boating, fishing, entertaining with family and friends. Edna was married to Bill for 40 years before he died in 1988 at age 65.

Edna later married Robert H. Whitcomb in 1992. They enjoyed their retirement years traveling the country seeing family, friends and enjoying the beauty of our nation. Edna was able to place her feet in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, which was a great thrill for her.

Edna had a zest for life and enjoyed staying active and engaged with the people that she met during her life's journey of the past 92 years. In earlier years she hosted church progressive dinner parties during the Christmas holiday season. Edna did beautiful, handcrafted crocheting work. She made many blankets, lap robes and dish cloths for family members, friends and the Lady Crafters at church. Edna, for many years, helped to organize the church bake sale and with the help of her daughter Tina, made over 200 lbs. of homemade sauerkraut, for the popular Oktoberfest celebration at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

Edna enjoyed an occasional trip to Biloxi to sample the wonderful buffets and try her luck in the local casinos. She enjoyed participating in a wide variety of activities including water-aerobics, dancing and was a season ticket holder of the Pensacola Ice Flyers. On Edna's 90th birthday she checked-off one of her "bucket list" items and went para-sailing with her son-in-law Dave Strohmeier along Santa Rosa Sound, over-looking beautiful Pensacola Beach. The event was video-taped by Channel 3 news and aired as part of a local, special interest story.

Edna was an active, participating member at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Gulf Breeze. Her Christian faith was strong. She now resides with her heavenly Father and all of the other Saints who have preceded her, to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

A viewing for family and friends will be held at Rose Lawn Funeral Home in Gulf Breeze on Friday, April 26th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. The funeral service will be at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Gulf Breeze beginning at 12:00 noon on Saturday, April 27th. The family will have a private farewell with Edna prior to the service from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM. A luncheon reception will be provided following the funeral service in the church Fellowship Hall.

Edna is survived by her two loving and devoted daughters, Susan Sweikhart and Tina Strohmeier who provided round the clock care for their mother, in their respective homes, during the months leading up to her death. She has two son-in-law's, Joseph Sweikhart and David Strohmeier, four grandchildren, Tara Diercks, Anthony Staffieri, Michael Strohmeier and Ricky Strohmeier and eight great grandchildren. She has two step-children Karen Hoffman and Ronald Whitcomb from her marriage to Robert Whitcomb, along with seven grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the staff of "Haven of Our Lady of Peace" in Pensacola, Florida for the wonderful care they provided to Edna while she recuperated from her recent hospitalizations. The family would also like to thank Kindred Hospice of Biloxi, Mississippi for the compassionate, professional care they provided to Edna and for their guidance and support shown to Edna's daughters, as they attended to their mother's needs for several weeks prior to her death.

The family wants to thank Rev. James d'Entremont of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Gulf Breeze for his spiritual guidance and support during the months leading up to the death of Edna Whitcomb. The family would also like to thank Rev. Derek Waffel, of Christ Lutheran Church in Pascagoula, MS for the spiritual comfort he provided to Edna during her final weeks while she lived with Susan and Joseph Sweikhart in Lucedale, MS.

Visitation

Rose Lawn Funeral Home
2942 Gulf Breeze Parkway
Gulf Breeze, FL  32563
Friday, April 26, 2019
6:00 to 8:00 PM

Service

Good Shepherd Luthern Church
4257 Gulf Breeze Parkway
Gulf Breeze, FL  32563
Saturday, April 27, 2019
12:00 PM

Cemetery

Rose Lawn Cemetery
2942 Gulf Breeze Parkway
Gulf Breeze, FL  32563