Emily A. (Schwarting) Schley

Age 84, passed away August 21, 2016. She was born July 2, 1932 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to the late Hugo and Frieda Schwarting. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Dewey Schley, half-brother Milton, and half-sister, Dorothy. Emily is survived by her sons, William and wife Pamela, David and wife Pamela, and Paul; grandchildren, Megan and Katharine; step-grandchildren, Michael, Meredith, John, and Brison; and step-great-granddaughter, Lola. Emily grew up in Green Bay, and most of her extended family and friends lived there, or nearby. She always showed a tremendous sense of home and pride in Green Bay, and in the things that make that great city unique. As a child, Emily developed a love for family road trips and camping. This became a tradition that she maintained throughout her life. Emily’s father passed away while she was still quite young. As a result, she developed a strong sense of independence and self-motivation that became defining aspects of her personality. Her step-father, William Messner, was very supportive of her and her family. Emily earned a nursing degree and enjoyed a rewarding career as a Registered Nurse, which gave her many interesting stories to tell. She married and moved away from Green Bay, eventually settling near Dayton, Ohio and raised three sons. She was very supportive of her sons as they grew up, and took an active role in their extracurricular activities, particularly Cub Scouts. She then went back to college, earned a separate bachelor’s degree, and returned to nursing. Family, home, church, and friends were interconnected and centrally important for Emily. She arranged numerous road trips and modest family adventures, covering much of the nation. Weekly and annual family traditions were very important to her, particularly ones that reunited family with friends. The gatherings created many, many fond memories. She was a charter member and very active at Abiding Christ Lutheran Church. She greatly enjoyed quilting, and helped run a quilt shop at the Renaissance Festival. She was an active member of the Red Hat Society, the charitable organization Fairborn FISH, enjoyed cooking, and playing bridge with a number of bridge clubs. Emily was strong-willed, tough, and very supportive. She had a special ability to see the positive aspects of things, and through her actions, taught the value of maintaining a positive attitude. Her enthusiasm and optimism were contagious and as a result, she developed very many friendships. We will be forever grateful to her for unwavering love and support. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, September 17 at 10:00 am at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Green Bay, WI. Memorial contributions may be made to Abiding Christ Lutheran Church, 326 E. Dayton-Yellow Springs Rd., Fairborn, OH 45324. Cotter Funeral Home in care of arrangements.