Victoria M. Eddy

OLEAN --- Victoria M. Eddy of Olean, New York died on Friday, November 15th at the Pines.

Born May 26, 1931 in Olean New York, she was a daughter of Elias and Domina Eade. On August 22, 1959 she married Leon S. Eddy, who predeceased her in 2004.

Vickie was a 1948 graduate of Olean High School. She received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the then called New York State College for Teachers at Albany, New York. In her senior year of college, she was one of 13 incoming seniors elected to MYSKANIA, an honorary group who helped govern the student body. She was also inducted into Pi Omega Pi, an honorary business fraternity. She worked for four years on the Albany College newspaper, State College News, and in her senior year was the managing editor. She was a member of Beta Zeta sorority.

After graduation, she taught business subjects for one year at the then called Delevan-Machias Central School in Machias, New York. Her career then took her to Washington DC where she worked for the Central Intelligence Agency, first as a secretary, and then as an instructor in their clerical orientation program. Upon the death of her father in 1954, she returned to Olean, New York to help in the family business. She taught business classes at Olean High School from 1957-1960, where she also served as the advisor for the yearbook.

In 1963, Vickie returned to teaching part-time at Olean Business Institute, and ultimately worked full-time there until her retirement in 1996. She introduced internships to the programs to help students get real-life experience, conducted workshops on interviewing, and was an early adopter of computers.

She and her husband had many years of retirement in the winter months in Yuma, Arizona. They made many friends there and enjoyed their trips into the desert with their dune buggy. She authored a cooking column in the Yuma Sun. Vickie also enjoyed writing poems, some of which she published, and it was common to receive a short poem in a birthday card.

An avid and long-time runner, it was not uncommon to find Vickie running to Hinsdale, on the River Road, and around town literally running errands. More often than not, she was first place in her age group at local running events. She was happiest when making Lebanese meals for her family and friends and baking. Vickie was always dropping off a loaf of banana bread or cookies to friends, family, shop keepers, and at the post office where she was often dropping off “envelopes with clippings” to far flung family and friends—that had would have a stickie attached saying “thought this would be of interest to you!”

Surviving are her five children: Pamela Eddy (David Pape) of Williamsburg, Virginia; Lisa Eddy (Peter Harvey) of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Brian (Gretchen) Eddy of Olean, New York; Christopher (Anne) Eddy of Weston, Florida, and Maria (Danny) Brooks of Olean, New York. She is also survived by her 12 grandchildren (Andrew, Jeffrey, Laura, Martin, Renee, Francis, Michael, Sarah, Ryan, Megan, Justine, Jason) and three great-grandchildren (Esme, Edie, Harlyn). She is also survived by a sister Mary (Eade) Bett, three sisters-in-law: Souad Eade, Shirley Richards, and Dee Griffith, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. In addition to her husband, she was pre-deceased by her brothers Elias Eade, Alfred Eade, sister Margaret Bunk, brothers-in-law Tom Bett, Neal Eddy, and Lawrence Richards, and sister-in-law Marlene Eddy.

The family is grateful for all the caregivers at the Pines, to the many people who visited during her over the years and shared a conversation and a laugh, and to those whose acts of random kindness she always observed and treasured.

Friends and family will be received on Monday, November 18th from 4 pm - 8 pm at Guenther Funeral Home, Inc., 1303 East State Street in Olean. The funeral mass will be held at the Basilica of St. Mary’s of the Angels in Olean on Tuesday, November 19th at 10 am. The mass will be live-streamed: https://emcatholic.org/live-stream-schedule. Burial will be at St. Bonaventure Cemetery immediately following the mass. A meal of mercy will be hosted at the Basilica of St. Mary’s of the Angels. Memorials may be made to St. Vincent de Paul. Online condolences can be expressed at www.guentherfh.com.