DOWNEY –  Edith May Debow was born in Neptune, New Jersey on July 7, 1917, the oldest of 7 children. She was raised by her grandparents from an early age.

When Edith was in the 9th grade, her grandfather died and she had to quit school to work at W. F. Woolworths. Soon after that she met Kenneth Lehman, who was a clerk in his father’s grocery store. They married in 1937, and a year later moved to Huntington Park, California. Ken was a carpenter (later a general contractor) and built several of the houses they lived in, including the house in Downey where she spent the last 63 years of her life.

She had two children, Karl born in 1942 and Christine born in 1947. Edith was very active in her church and enjoyed the time she spent as a Sunday School teacher and as a sponsor for the church Luther League, especially enjoying outings with the teenagers. She also liked to play bridge and pinochle with friends, sew clothes for her children and others, paint china (for which she had many Pomona Fair ribbons), work as a manager at an Anaheim yardage store, and cook meals for her family and friends. 

By the time Ken passed away in 1997, Edith had retired – twice. Because she drove well into her 90s, she remained active and continued with her hobbies and activities. In her last years Edith was an avid reader and also kept journals. 

At the end of this life, on June 21, Edith passed away at PIH Hospital in Whittier – less than three weeks before her 101st birthday. 

Edith is survived by her son, Karl Lehman (and wife Ann Meierdierks), a grandson, Jay Herman (and wife Leila), a granddaughter, Sheya Meierdierks-Lehman (and husband Mike Baker), and two great-grandchildren, Nadia Herman and Maia Baker. Two sisters and a brother (Agnes Keefe, Delia Stout, Arnold Debow), and many nieces and nephews also survive her.