Edna Oshel

Oshel, Edna May Noles – September 16, 1927 – April 10, 2018

Edna May Heath was born in Lakeland, Florida on September 16, 1927 to Walter Bliss Heath and Ada Pauline Roberson. She had two brothers -- Gerald Walter Heath, who died in infancy, and Everett Eugene Heath who died of scarlet fever as a young child. Edna lived in many places over the course of her life. As a child, she and her parents lived in Wichita, KS and moved to San Pedro, CA in 1943. After graduating from Narbonne high school in 1945, her first job was at a tuna canning plant.

In 1947, Edna went to work at Naval Ordinance Test Station (N.O.T.S) in China Lake, CA. There Edna met first husband, Ronald Clifford Noles; they married in 1951. They lived in China Lake / Ridgecrest until their daughter Karen married. Edna and Ron retired to a country home in Dayton, WY in 1973 where she took up gardening and preserving.

In 1978 they moved to Onyx, CA when their second grandchild was born. Ron and Edna had 27 wonderful years together. After Ron’s death, Edna moved to Lancaster, CA in 1981 to be near her family, and that’s where she stayed. She loved to spend time with family. Her grandson Brian and her granddaughter Jamie were the joy of her life, and she taught them many things. Edna was very involved with the Methodist church her whole life.

As an adult she taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, performed in the bell choir, and belonged to several women’s organizations and other committees. She was a Girl Scout leader for several years for her daughter’s troop, and they had lots of wonderful adventures together. On these adventures they bought postcards for memories of the trips. Edna became an avid postcard collector and spent many happy hours with her collection.

Edna was also very active in the community wherever she lived. She loved volunteering for anything that involved family, music, arts, reading, or fun. She went to concerts and took piano lessons. She enjoyed drawing, painting, sculpting and other forms of artistic expression. She took many art classes over the years. In 1971, she graduated with an Associate of Arts degree from Bakersfield Desert Division Community College in Ridgecrest. Edna loved reading. She volunteered at many libraries over the years. After moving to Lancaster, she worked as a library clerk at Palmdale City Library for 11 years. She continued as a volunteer for almost 15 years after she retired. She was known by many of the children as storyteller Granny Many Pockets. She was a member of the Lancaster Women’s Club, Epsilon Signa Omicron Chapter Reading Group for almost 20 years. During that time Edna read and reviewed at least two thousand books. She instilled the love of reading in her daughter, grandchildren and many others over the years. Edna originally met her second husband, Warren Wesley Oshel, and his first wife Gerry at the Ridgecrest Methodist Church in the 1950’s. Edna and her daughter spent many happy hours at the church over the years socializing with Warren’s family and several other families. Warren’s wife Gerry passed away in 2001. Warren and Edna got together a while later and decided they were a good match. They married in October of 2002; she was 75 and he was 80. They were happily married for 15 years. When Warren passed away in January 2018, Edna was heartbroken.

Edna departed this life in Lancaster on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 at 90 years old. She left us with many fond memories of a life filled with love, laughter, and optimism. We will miss her.
Edna has a daughter Karen Lynne (Noles) Mahoney (husband Jimmy), and 4 step-sons Thomas Warren Oshel (wife Donna), Jon Alan Oshel (wife Ginny), Paul Michael Oshel (deceased) (wife Katherine), and Brian Patrick Oshel. Edna has 9 grandchildren, Brian Mahoney, Jamie (Mahoney) Donahue, Erick Oshel, Greg Oshel, Jill Brouillard, Marla Friedler, Suzanne Ryerson, Sarah Oshel and Carly Oshel. She also has 13 great-grandchildren.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the American Cancer Society https://donate3.cancer.org Donations may also be made to the Lancaster United Methodist Church www.lancasterunited.org/?i=11171&mid=1000&id=417527