Edna Poole

Edna Regina Poole was born on Thursday August 21, 1924 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  She was one of seven children born to the late Charles and Lillian Mackrey. She was preceded in death by her loving and faithful husband Arthur Poole, Sr., four sisters, Nan, Lucinda, Mary and Lillian, two brothers, James and John, one grandson, Arthur Poole III, and one great-granddaughter, Reign Corbin.   

At an early age, Edna was Introduced to Jesus Christ by her mother. Edna dedicated her life to Christ, and would affectionately refer to Him as “the Good Lord”.   

Edna was educated in the Philadelphia public school system and graduated from Overbrook High School. Upon graduation she became employed as a seamstress with the Chips n Twigs organization for several years.  

Edna met and married Arthur Poole Sr in 1950 and this union was blessed with two children, Regina and Arthur, Jr. Following their birth, Edna chose to become a homemaker in order to care for her young children. 

Edna and her family moved to Germantown, where they joined the Immaculate Conception Church. She joined the Usher Board, where she served as a faithful member for many years.  Edna always greeted members with a smile, a kind word, an empathetic ear, an occasional hug and a helping hand. Edna could also be found in the kitchen at the church, preparing and serving food for various functions, and would often stay late to help clean up.  Edna was a good and faithful servant of the Lord always. She shouldered additional responsibilities by helping the elderly and disabled. She prepared and packaged meals for the Aid for Friends program and delivered meals to those in need.  

When Edna’s children became of school age, she decided to reenter the work force and accepted a position as a Cafeteria Aide with the Philadelphia Public School system.  She loved working with the children, and would always help a child in need by paying for their lunch. She worked tirelessly for more than twenty years until her retirement.  

Edna was an extraordinary person because of how she lived her life, always reaching out to help others.  She had an infectious smile that would light up a room and she enjoyed talking to everyone she came in contact with – even an ant!  She often attending homegoing services for those she barely knew, as a show of support for the grieving families. Edna truly embodied the meaning of a selfless person.  She loved and encouraged her beloved children and grandchildren. A phenomenal cook, she instilled her culinary skills into her daughter, Regina, and her grandson Randall. Her ranch pretzels were always the hit of the party and she passed the recipe to her granddaughter, Artura.  Her homemade coffee cake was always in demand and was given to all of the grandchildren on their birthdays, along with her “Grammy-winning” birthday song, which always ended with, “May the good Lord bless you”.

When Immaculate Conception closed its doors, Edna joined the Saint Vincent de Paul Church in Germantown.  She maintained her tradition of service as an Usher until her health began to decline. 

Though Edna developed numerous health challenges in later years, she had the strength from the good Lord to see her through. Her wonderful characteristics never left her, even when she entered the Stapley nursing home, where she received exceptional care from the second-floor nursing staff.  As a resident of Stapley, Edna continued to exercise care and concern with her fellow residents. She never complained and through it all, her faith never wavered. During her final hours, she held firmly to the wooden cross that she received from Father Sy. She held that cross all day and night until the good Lord called her home on the evening of Saturday, April 4, 2020.

She leaves a legacy of love and cherished memories to: her daughter Regina Corbin (Jimmy Mayrant); son, Arthur, Jr. (Angela); one granddaughter ,Artura Cain(Gerald); four grandsons, Marshall Corbin III, Dante Poole, Sr. (Demika), Reginald Corbin (Regina), and Randall Corbin (Jekeira);Valerie Poole (mother of Artura and Dante); four great-granddaughters, Joslin, Devyn, Sabrina and Sydnee; four great-grandsons, Marshall IV, Joshua, Dante Jr., Noah and a host of other loving relatives and many special friends.   

The spirit of the Lord shined through Edna until the day she was called to be with the good Lord. So now and forever more her spirit will always be felt. just know, she will always be looking and smiling down on all of us.

Submitted With Love, 

The Family    

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