Mary Elizabeth Friend, 78, LPN

She was born April 25, 1923 in Memphis, TN, moving to Vermilion in 1958 and then to Elyria in the 1970s.

She was a LPN for St. Joseph Hospital, retiring in 1988 after 17 years of service.

She attended First Christian Church in Amherst. She enjoyed gardening, sewing and her family.

She is survived by her husband, George S. Friend, of Elyria, a daughter, Nancy L. Bickley of Huron, 2 sons, Larry W. Cunningham of Vermilion and Bill Agy of Phoenix AR; 5 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren, sister, Gladys Klepper of Memphis, TN and brothers, Robert Vernon Dye of spring City, TN and Leroy Dye of Lorain, OH .

She was preceded in death by her 2nd husband, Cletus Agy in 1956, 3rd husband, Charles Gala in 1967 and her parents, Henry and Gladys (nee Holden) Dye.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, April 10, 2002 from 5-7 p.m. at the Riddle Funeral Home, 5345 South Street, Vermilion, OH.

Services will be held at the Riddle Funeral Home, Thursday, April 11, 2002 at 10AM with the Reverend Guy Morton, pastor of Lakeview Baptist Church, Vermilion officiating. Interment will follow in Brookdale Cemetery.

Contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association Northwest OH Chapter, 2500 North Reynolds Road, Toledo, OH 43615-2820.