Alice Skaff David

Alice Skaff David

Christ is in our midst.

Alice (Skaff) David was also known as "Missy" (Missahdi her given name), was a loving mother, Sitto (grandmother), sister, sister-in-law, aunt, and friend, passed to the bosom of Abraham on April 13, 2021, three days after her 95th birthday and after the 4th Sunday of Great Lent (St. John Climacus). Alice was born on April 10, 1926 in Lowell, Massachusetts, the daughter of George and Naffie (Bardwell) Skaff. She was the first born of six siblings. She married Frederick David on October 29, 1950 in Lowell, Massachusetts. After their two children were born (Valerie and Fr. Mark), in 1957, they moved to Toledo, Ohio to continue their life there. In 1959, their third child Frederick (Ricky) was born.

When her friends asked her, "why was your name changed from "Missahdi" to "Alice", she would always crack a smile and say "because my parents could not properly spell my name from Arabic to English in the hospital for my birth certificate". So, the hospital clerk said, "why not call her Alice?" Her parents said "Okay!" Whereby, the name stuck. Only her parents and her uncles and aunts referred to her as "Missahdi". Alice enjoyed cooking and entertaining, cherished her family, and loved to sing. In her youth, she took voice lessons and wanted to become a professional opera singer, but life led her down a different path. When she sang the Lord's prayer and "Ave Maria", it brought tears to everyone's eyes. Both songs were literally her swan songs. She was like an angel singing to her flock. She will be remembered for her kindness, compassion and relentless positivity. She would always root for the underdog and would give you the shirt off her back. If you admired something that she was wearing or had, it was yours.

Her laughter, her voice and her three-favorite motto's, "One day at a time", "Love and forgiveness", and "do it in moderation".

She was a member of St. George Orthodox Cathedral for many years and enjoyed her roles as a choir member with her beautiful soprano/Alto voice. She was also past President of the Ladies Benevolent Society. She was very involved in her church and loved it. She then became a parishioner, treasurer, and choir member of her son, Rev. Fr. Mark David's church, St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church, and she shined in each role.

She leaves behind her three beloved children, Valerie Duncan (Steven) of Topsfield, Massachusetts; her son, Rev. Fr. Mark David and his wife, Marie (whom she holds dear to) of Toledo, Ohio and her son, Frederick Jr. (Ricky) of Toledo, Ohio. She also leaves behind her favorite legacy, her four grandchildren, whom she loved and adored, Missy (named after her), Valerie (named after her daughter), Fred (named after her husband), and George (named after St. George, Marie's brother, and Alice's father). Alice is also survived by her sister, Shirley George (Ernest) of Worcester, MA and sister-in-law, Laurence Skaff, of Lowell, MA and many nephews and nieces. Alice was preceded in death by her husband, Frederick in 1996. Her uncle Metropolitan Samuel David and her cousin, Metropolitan Athanasius Skaff (who she loved and spoke highly of); her brother-in-law, Alex and her sister-in-law, Adele David and her brother-in-law, Clifford David. In addition, she was preceded in death by the most awesome siblings anyone could ever ask for: her brother, Chakeep Skaff of Lowell, MA, Jeannette Mackoul of Worcester, MA, Vivian Puopolo of Dedham, MA and Dorothy Deeb of Toledo, Ohio. Her nieces, Deborah and Linda Marie Deeb of Toledo, OH, and her nephew, Stephen Skaff of Lowell, MA.

Mom, you're at peace now, you deserve it! We will all miss you terribly, but most of all, we will miss your voice and laughter. You will be singing with the angels in heaven and they will be blessed to have you by their side. Your positivity and upbeat attitude reached out to all of us and inspired us to be the best at anything we wanted to be.

Closing prayer from the David and the Skaff families dedicated to our mother, Sitto, sister, daughter-in-law, aunt, and friends:

Soul of Christ sanctify me. Body of Christ save me. Blood of Christ absorb me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ strengthen me. Lord Jesus, hear me. Within your wounds, hide me. Never permit me to be separated from you. From the evil one, protect me. At the hour of my death, call me and bid me, come to you that with your saints I may praise you forever. Amen.

Visitation and Trisagion prayers will be Wednesday and Thursday- 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. at Blanchard- Strabler Funeral Home (3219 Tremainsville Rd, Toledo, OH 43613 419-269-1111) Funeral Services will be 11:00 a.m. Friday at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral (740 N Superior St, Toledo, OH 43604), Officiated by, Fr. Larry Legakis, Fr. Michael Shaheen, and Fr. Mark David.The family requests donations be directed to St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church (1828 Talbot Street, Toledo, OH 43613). Memory eternal, Mom! May the chorus of angels welcome you home. Online condolences:

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