Mae
Mae Pless
d. February 29, 2016
Mae Patterson Von Pless (nee Harper), 89, passed away on February 29, 2016 at Devon Oaks in Westlake, Ohio. She was born on October 18, 1926 in New York, New York to George and Matilda Harper.
Mae grew up in the Pelham Bay area of the Bronx, in New York City and spent many summers at a family farm in Oxford, New York. She graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in the Bronx, New York in 1944. After high school, Mae attended Alfred University in Alfred, New York, where she was in the Cadet Corps Nursing Program, received a degree in Nursing, and joined the Cadet Nurse Corps upon graduation in 1948.
Mae worked in the medical field throughout her lifetime at various facilities culminating with her retirement from the Cleveland Sight Center in June 2009. Her 26 year career at the Cleveland Sight Center provided Mae some of her most rewarding and challenging experiences as a health care professional. She was most proud of the work she did involving childhood vision screening and was instrumental in securing donations to procure a mobile van which she then used to bring vision screening services to inner city children and adults, as well as many area schools throughout Northeast Ohio.
Mae was active in a variety of civic and social organizations, including the Cleveland Play House and the Shaker Heights Nature Center. Mae was a member of the First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland and was especially fond of all the friends she made through the 49'ers group.
Mae was an avid Bridge player and loved traveling, making several trips to Europe, Canada, and throughout the United States, especially to visit family and friends.
Mae married James (Jim) A. Von Pless on April 16, 1949 in New York, New York. They were happily married for 32 years, until Jim's death in 1983. Mae and Jim moved to Shaker Heights, Ohio in 1973, after living in the Syracuse, New York area for over 20 years.
Mae is survived by her sons, George (Beverly) of Kirkville, New York, and David (Doreen) of Fairview Park, Ohio, Daughter-in-Law JoAnn Von Pless of Liverpool, New York, Sister-in- Law Jaqueline Harper of Hartselle, Alabama, six grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Mae was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jim, son Douglas, and brother, Kenneth Harper.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to, The Alzheimer's Association, Cleveland Area, 23215 Commerce Park Drive, Suite 300, Beachwood, OH 44122, or The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 6155 Rockside Rd., Suite 202, Independence, OH 44131.
The family of Mae Von Pless would especially like to thank the staff at Devon Oaks for the caring and support they gave to Mae over the past 3 years and, most recently, Hospice of the Western Reserve for their compassionate care over the last 3 weeks of Mae's life.
A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, March 5 at 11am at Brown-Forward, 17022 Chagrin Blvd, Shaker Hts., OH. FRIENDS MAY CALL ONE HOUR PRIOR TO THE SERVICE.
Mae grew up in the Pelham Bay area of the Bronx, in New York City and spent many summers at a family farm in Oxford, New York. She graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in the Bronx, New York in 1944. After high school, Mae attended Alfred University in Alfred, New York, where she was in the Cadet Corps Nursing Program, received a degree in Nursing, and joined the Cadet Nurse Corps upon graduation in 1948.
Mae worked in the medical field throughout her lifetime at various facilities culminating with her retirement from the Cleveland Sight Center in June 2009. Her 26 year career at the Cleveland Sight Center provided Mae some of her most rewarding and challenging experiences as a health care professional. She was most proud of the work she did involving childhood vision screening and was instrumental in securing donations to procure a mobile van which she then used to bring vision screening services to inner city children and adults, as well as many area schools throughout Northeast Ohio.
Mae was active in a variety of civic and social organizations, including the Cleveland Play House and the Shaker Heights Nature Center. Mae was a member of the First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland and was especially fond of all the friends she made through the 49'ers group.
Mae was an avid Bridge player and loved traveling, making several trips to Europe, Canada, and throughout the United States, especially to visit family and friends.
Mae married James (Jim) A. Von Pless on April 16, 1949 in New York, New York. They were happily married for 32 years, until Jim's death in 1983. Mae and Jim moved to Shaker Heights, Ohio in 1973, after living in the Syracuse, New York area for over 20 years.
Mae is survived by her sons, George (Beverly) of Kirkville, New York, and David (Doreen) of Fairview Park, Ohio, Daughter-in-Law JoAnn Von Pless of Liverpool, New York, Sister-in- Law Jaqueline Harper of Hartselle, Alabama, six grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Mae was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jim, son Douglas, and brother, Kenneth Harper.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to, The Alzheimer's Association, Cleveland Area, 23215 Commerce Park Drive, Suite 300, Beachwood, OH 44122, or The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 6155 Rockside Rd., Suite 202, Independence, OH 44131.
The family of Mae Von Pless would especially like to thank the staff at Devon Oaks for the caring and support they gave to Mae over the past 3 years and, most recently, Hospice of the Western Reserve for their compassionate care over the last 3 weeks of Mae's life.
A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, March 5 at 11am at Brown-Forward, 17022 Chagrin Blvd, Shaker Hts., OH. FRIENDS MAY CALL ONE HOUR PRIOR TO THE SERVICE.
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