Selwa Said

1929 - 2020

Selwa Said
August 12, 1929 - March 9, 2020
Del Rey Oaks
Selwa Said, 90, died peacefully Mar 9, 2020.
A resident of Monterey County for 72 years, she was born Selwa Norma Barbara Aide on Aug 12, 1929 in Winsted, CT. She was the eldest of four daughters born to Montaha Akel Aide and Nicholas Aide, who had emigrated from Lebanon to the United States, entering at Ellis Island.
After contracting polio at age two, Selwa lived and studied at the Newington Home for Crippled Children in CT. At age nine she rejoined her family, who resided then in Brooklyn, NY, where she received her diploma from Manual Training High School.
On Dec 28, 1947, she married Kamil T. Said, who was creating the first Arabic Language Department at the Army Language School, later Defense Language Institute, in Monterey. The couple resided in the Fort Ord community until 1953, when they moved to Del Rey Oaks, their home until death.
Selwa's studies included becoming an accredited instructor of Parent Effectiveness Training and Youth Effectiveness Training, and completion of Dr. Marshall Rosenberg's International Intensive Training and Harville Hendrix's Imago Relationship Therapy Training.
Since 1978 Selwa was known to countless students of her Effective Communication and Relationship Building classes and seminars in Monterey, which drew students from throughout the U.S. and beyond. She developed, taught, and facilitated her own unique approach, Heart Aware Communication—now taught by some of her students—serving individuals, couples, families, and organizations. Selwa donated many hours in private facilitating, group presentations, and instruction, saying "money need not be an issue" for anyone wanting her services.
In 2015 the Monterey County Commission on the Status of Women named Selwa Said an Outstanding Woman of Monterey County, recognizing her as a tremendous benefit to society. The commission celebrated her direct and indirect positive impact on personal, community, business, and other relationships in many, many thousands of lives.
For fifteen years, Selwa also worked in the administration office at York School in Monterey.
Selwa was predeceased by her parents; husband of 55 years, Kamil; sister Zanah Cornell; nephew Rob Daoud. Survivors include sons, James of Medford, OR and John of Las Vegas, NV; stepdaughter, Ghity Corbat of Geneva, Switzerland; sisters Elaine Aremia of Del Rey Oaks and Lila Daoud of Salinas; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, and other loving family members.
Woodyard Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A Celebration of Life will take place at a later date.


View the online memorial for Selwa Said