Edith Ellen Pelton Rasberry was born to Harold and Marietta Pelton on April 1st, 1941, in Jamestown, NY, but was a country girl on Pennsylvania farms and in small towns until her junior year of high school when the family moved to Tonawanda, NY. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Jim Pelton, and son Lenny Rasberry. She is survived by her sons – Eric Rasberry (Jill), and Glynn Rasberry (Susan), grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and her precious friends. Edie always considered her church family as her very own family.
Throughout school Edie participated in choir and orchestra, playing violin and base fiddle. Being tall, she often carried the large bass fiddle, in its case, back and forth on the school bus. She participated in 4H, and attended church and youth camp where she accepted Christ at the age of 13. She graduated from Tonawanda High School in 1958 and entered WCA Nursing School, Jamestown, NY, in a 3 year degree program, graduating in 1961. After getting her RN. Edie worked at the small Tonawanda Hospital for 1-2 years and then she and her best friend, Sue, enlisted in the United States Air Force as 2nd Lieutenants where she served in San Antonio, Texas, for 2 years. here she met and married her husband, Leon “Razz” Rasberry. Son, Eric, was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, and soon after, they returned to the states.
Edie continued in her nursing profession, retiring at age 69 after 50 years of nursing. She was at Altamonte Florida Hospital for 30 of those years. She also helped open a nursing home and was a home health nurse. She met with her very dear nursing school friends once a year for the past 15 years.
Edie’s hobbies included gardening, playing the piano, and spending many hours with her special group of gal pals. She served in her church starting at an early age teaching GA (Girls in Action) in the Baptist church. She was a charter member of Willow Creek Church and served in the choir, VBS, Bible Studies, and ALF ministry, Small Group, and SALT. As part of the WCC Care Team, she touched many lived and blessed many of us with her caring comfort and attention to needs as they arose.