Mabel Eadie

Mabel Eadie was a compassionate woman who lived her life in service to her Lord and Savior and framed her every thought, word, and deed in reference to the Christian beliefs that were engraved upon her heart. To Mabel, success wasn’t measured according to the world’s standards, but rather it was measured according to the numerous hearts she touched and the relationships she nurtured with those she held most dear – her sister, husband, and family.

In the midst of WWI in Northern Ireland, Walter and Jemima (Allen) Walker, of Belfast, Ireland, were preparing for a joyous occasion within their own family as they were expecting their second child at any time. They were blessed on March 17, 1916, with the healthy birth of their daughter, Mary Mabel. Mabel, as she soon became known, was later joined in her family by two additional siblings and during the early twenties, their family immigrated to the United States and settled in Chicago, Illinois. Their Irish heritage was always a great source of pride for Mabel and she was always cheered up by an Irish song.

While in Chicago, Mabel’s father became very sick and spent a year in a sanatorium which proved to be a difficult time for her family. These challenging days were an experience that shaped Mabel’s life and contributed to the woman that she one day became. From an early age, Mabel was recognized as someone that could be counted on as her father depended on her to buy candy for herself and her siblings and to then divide it amongst them. This established a spirit of dependability in Mabel and was a great source of pride for her as well.

Of great significance during her formative years, was the church that her family attended and more importantly, the woman there that befriended her mother. This woman provided a model of a loving and compassionate woman that Mabel duplicated throughout her entire lifetime. This remarkable woman also led Mabel’s family to embrace the Christian faith for themselves and this marked the beginning of Mabel’s life of service within the church as she began teaching Sunday school as a teenager.

By the end of the twenties, our nation became greatly affected by the Great Depression and living through this trying time taught Mabel how to be frugal and to make wise purchases, especially when it came to buying clothes. Although her wardrobe was not extensive, what she did have was nice as it was important to her that she be properly dressed.

After graduating from high school, Mabel found office work and her excellent bookkeeping skills became apparent with her attention to detail and organizational skills. She eventually found work at a food service company for many years where her employer counted on her to keep the business running. Although she never owned a business of her own, she spent her lifetime running one.

While building her career, she met and married a charming man named Norman Eadie. Her attention to detail was visible in her home as her home was always neat and orderly. Mabel liked consistency and routine and she was also a planner. Although she and Norman never had any children of their own, she cherished her nieces as her own children and when her nieces had children of their own, Mabel adored them too. At times, Mabel was a bit of a “surrogate mother” to her nieces during their high school and college years as they lived with her while their parents were serving as missionaries out of the country. When her great nieces and nephews were in college, Mabel additionally aided them in any way she could. Mabel’s life exemplified that being a mother is a matter of the heart, not just biology

Family was always of the utmost importance to Mabel, especially the close relationship she shared with her sister Margaret. The two were an inseparable pair who lived together throughout their entire lives and served their Lord together in many ways - worshipping together, teaching Sunday school together, and contributing in other ways that helped the church. Mabel and Margaret often traveled abroad to visit family and it was during these times that Mabel was able to set her life of routine aside and truly relax and immerse herself in the love of her family. Their traveling took them to places such as Cuba, Ireland, Hong Kong, and also on a relaxing cruise to Alaska.

Mabel volunteered with several organizations including Workers Together, where she served as the treasurer and was instrumental in funding a variety of projects around the world. Mabel never served as a missionary abroad, but she was a missionary in her own right. Her various contributions helped to build Masipi Christian Church in the Philippines and her dedication also helped to finance translations of a Bible commentary used in both Vietnam and China.

In 1992, Mabel was devastated with the death of her husband and she drew strength from both her faith and her family during this time. Soon after, Mabel and Margaret moved to Grandville and began attending Forest Hills Bible Chapel where they were known as the M&M’s, her sister was even known to give out candy as well. When the sisters needed more assistance, they moved to Rest Haven Homes where they remained for the past couple of years.

Mabel Eadie was an extraordinary woman of Irish descent who was even born on St. Patrick’s Day. She was no stranger to hard work and she lived to serve her Lord and care for others in immeasurable ways. Mabel was known as the matriarch of the family and was a natural leader with strong determination and a great sense of humor. Mabel treasured her intimate bond with her sister and the love of her family. Her compassionate heart and generous spirit significantly touched numerous lives of those that her physical touch could not reach. Mabel will be truly missed although there is rejoicing in the knowledge that she is dwelling in the presence of her Lord and Savior.

M. Mabel Eadie of Grand Rapids died on June 16, 2009. Mabel’s family includes her sister, Margaret Walker; her nieces Nisa Crutchfield, Barbara Medeiros and Lydia Davis; and several grand and great grand nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brothers William and George Walker. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, June 20, at 4:00 p.m. at Forest Hills Bible Chapel, 4637 Ada Dr. SE, where friends may visit with her family from 3:30 p.m. until the time of the service. Interment will take place in Oak Lawn, IL. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com, where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to Rest Haven Home or Christian Missions in Many Lands.