FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED FUNERAL HOMES SINCE 1881
| Lydia Maria Waas |
| December 31, 1931 - May 14, 2023 |
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Public Events and LocationsVisitation - Saturday, May 20, 2023, 10:00 to 11:00 AM at Wetzel and Son, RockledgeFuneral Service - Saturday, May 20, 2023, 11:00 AM at Wetzel and Son, Rockledge Graveside Service - Saturday, May 20, 2023, 12:00 PM at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham |
ContactsFuneral Home - Wetzel and Son Funeral Home - 419 Huntingdon Pike, Rockledge, PA 19046 - 215-663-8550 - Map |
| Clergy - Holy Redeemer Hospice - 12265 Townsend Road, Philadelphia, PA 19154 - 215-671-9200 - Map |
| Cemetery - Holy Sepulchre Cemetery - 3301 West Cheltenham Avenue, Cheltenham, PA 19038 - 215-247-0691 - Map |
| Family Florist - Sally’s Flowers - 7950 Oxford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111 - 215-722-4500 - Map |
The following obituary was written by Lydia’s family:
Lydia Maria Waas (91) passed away comfortably and peacefully on Mother’s Day, May 14th, 2023.
Lydia is the beloved wife now joined with her husband Robert J.; mother of Robert G. and his wife Theresa, John K. and his wife Van, and Mark E. and his wife Diane; grandmother of Mark, Kristen, Matthew, James, Linsay, Anna, and Jonathan; great grandmother of Sean, Marissa, Ava, Maya, Annalyse, Mason, Harper, Angel, Cameron and Luka; sister of departed Mathilda, Egbert, and Rudy.
Lydia was born in southern Germany to Johanna and Otto Fries (pronounced freeze) on December 31, 1931. Raised in a small Bavarian town named Walderbach by the Regen River, Lydia learned to play and work beside her sister Mathilda and brothers Egbert and youngest Rudy. They helped the household by working in the local farms harvesting fruits and vegetables. The farm owners would provide bountiful lunches and let them bring home some of the spoils of their labor.
Lydia attended school in the beautiful Walderbach cloister where she aspired to become a nun. That is, until Lydia met Robert Waas, in Stuttgart, where she worked as a clerk in a small general store. Robert was employed as a glazer at an automotive factory, far from the family farm in Upkofen, Bavaria. He would frequent the general store to purchase dry goods or produce and, of course, to get a glimpse of Lydia. She said to the kind owners of the family store, “I am going to marry that man”.
Before Long, Robert found employment opportunities in the USA. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to be exact. He sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to support his sister Rose who was working as a waitress in a family restaurant. Lydia was able to acquire a work permit for employment at a hosiery factory and later at NABISCO bakery in Philadelphia. The permit allowed her to become a US citizen. Lydia traveled by air to America to live and work with her Aunt Mary in the Hunting Park neighborhood of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia is where Lydia and Robert married to raise a family of three boys, Robert, John and Mark. Actually, family expansion didn’t begin in Philadelphia. Robert was drafted into the U.S. Army and then stationed in Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas. Their first son, Robert, was born in the base hospital. By the time their son reached the age of one, Corporal Robert Waas would return to civilian life.
Lydia’s family grew to 7 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren who all loved holiday and birthday celebrations at “Oma’s” house. We often hoped to be surprised to see cookies, pastries or a beautiful birthday Torte carefully placed on the celebration table. The Torte was a multi-layered cake filled with jelly, alternating with icing made of vanilla pudding and butter. The side of the cake was sprinkled with toasted crushed hazelnuts. Somehow the flavors just got better with time.
We will embrace our memories of you, as you have embraced all of the children in your life. Peace be with you.
Relatives and friends were invited to her visitation on Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M. and funeral service at 11:00 A.M. at Wetzel and Son Funeral Home, 419 Huntingdon Pike, Rockledge, PA 19046. Her graveside service followed at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 3301 West Cheltenham Avenue, Cheltenham, PA 19038.
www.wetzelandson.com
Lydia Maria Waas (91) passed away comfortably and peacefully on Mother’s Day, May 14th, 2023.
Lydia is the beloved wife now joined with her husband Robert J.; mother of Robert G. and his wife Theresa, John K. and his wife Van, and Mark E. and his wife Diane; grandmother of Mark, Kristen, Matthew, James, Linsay, Anna, and Jonathan; great grandmother of Sean, Marissa, Ava, Maya, Annalyse, Mason, Harper, Angel, Cameron and Luka; sister of departed Mathilda, Egbert, and Rudy.
Lydia was born in southern Germany to Johanna and Otto Fries (pronounced freeze) on December 31, 1931. Raised in a small Bavarian town named Walderbach by the Regen River, Lydia learned to play and work beside her sister Mathilda and brothers Egbert and youngest Rudy. They helped the household by working in the local farms harvesting fruits and vegetables. The farm owners would provide bountiful lunches and let them bring home some of the spoils of their labor.
Lydia attended school in the beautiful Walderbach cloister where she aspired to become a nun. That is, until Lydia met Robert Waas, in Stuttgart, where she worked as a clerk in a small general store. Robert was employed as a glazer at an automotive factory, far from the family farm in Upkofen, Bavaria. He would frequent the general store to purchase dry goods or produce and, of course, to get a glimpse of Lydia. She said to the kind owners of the family store, “I am going to marry that man”.
Before Long, Robert found employment opportunities in the USA. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to be exact. He sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to support his sister Rose who was working as a waitress in a family restaurant. Lydia was able to acquire a work permit for employment at a hosiery factory and later at NABISCO bakery in Philadelphia. The permit allowed her to become a US citizen. Lydia traveled by air to America to live and work with her Aunt Mary in the Hunting Park neighborhood of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia is where Lydia and Robert married to raise a family of three boys, Robert, John and Mark. Actually, family expansion didn’t begin in Philadelphia. Robert was drafted into the U.S. Army and then stationed in Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas. Their first son, Robert, was born in the base hospital. By the time their son reached the age of one, Corporal Robert Waas would return to civilian life.
Lydia’s family grew to 7 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren who all loved holiday and birthday celebrations at “Oma’s” house. We often hoped to be surprised to see cookies, pastries or a beautiful birthday Torte carefully placed on the celebration table. The Torte was a multi-layered cake filled with jelly, alternating with icing made of vanilla pudding and butter. The side of the cake was sprinkled with toasted crushed hazelnuts. Somehow the flavors just got better with time.
We will embrace our memories of you, as you have embraced all of the children in your life. Peace be with you.
Relatives and friends were invited to her visitation on Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M. and funeral service at 11:00 A.M. at Wetzel and Son Funeral Home, 419 Huntingdon Pike, Rockledge, PA 19046. Her graveside service followed at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 3301 West Cheltenham Avenue, Cheltenham, PA 19038.
www.wetzelandson.com
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