Edith Aileen Ingraham's Obituary
Edith Aileen Ingraham (nee Jaeger), 93, of Dallas, TX, passed away on November 9th, 2023. She was born September 24th, 1930 (in Jamaica, New York, but we’re not supposed to tell anyone that) to Arthur James Jaeger and Erma Breckenridge Jaeger (nee Harrison.) Edith passed away peacefully at home, with her children by her side, after a long battle with dementia.
Edith was predeceased by her parents, her older brother, William George Leeman II, her first husband, Earl Weldon Hollowell, her second husband, Leo Mack Ingraham, and her eldest son, Ronald Earl Hollowell. She is survived by her two younger children, Mark Harrison Hollowell and Stephanie Aileen Hollowell, as well as numerous cousins (of the “Harrison clan”) and many, many friends.
Edith was one-of-a-kind, a “certifiable character” as someone who knew her once said. And yet, she was extremely considerate of people and a very conscientious person. Niceness and decency were a part of her DNA (we know this because 23andMe said so.) She was all things to all people: able to make anyone comfortable and relaxed in her company. You truly enjoyed the time you spent with her, and looked forward to seeing her again.
Edith wore many hats in her long life. She grew up in Highland Park, TX (another family secret) and after graduating from Highland Park High School (Go Scots!) she went to New York City to set the fashion world on fire. However, a certain handsome Navy man drew her back to Dallas, where she became a Navy Wife, with three Navy Brats to follow. She had a long career as a Navy Wife, travelling cross-country (often pulling a looong trailer!) from Dallas to Florida to Tennessee to California to Washington State to Washington, D.C. and back to Dallas. After the most amicable divorce ever known (he moved in with HER parents), Edith became a medical transcriptionist. This set up a lifetime love of all things true-crime, murderous and gory. After a brief stint in a second marriage, Edith joined the Dallas Public Library as a clerk and later became a Clerical Supervisor. Thus, giving her unfettered access to all things true-crime, murderous and gory.
After retiring from the library, Edith commenced a third profession: that of a Professional Cruiser (cruise SHIPS, what were you thinking?) It started with a simple four-day trip on The Queen Elizabeth II, but then quickly escalated to multi-week, multi-continent voyages. The pinnacle came in 2006, with the inaugural voyage of the Queen Mary 2 around Cape Horn, South America: from New York to Los Angeles, for a grand total of 39 glorious days. Edith was always joined by one or two of her children on these voyages and made quite the impression on the crew and her fellow passengers. (Remember? Character?)
Since Edith obviously didn’t have enough to do, she was also a very crafty person (in the good sense.) Dressmaking, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, quilting… if it involved yarn or thread, she did it. However,… she did have more than her share of UFO’s (UnFinished Objects, for the uninitiated.) She was a founding member of the Preston Royal Purls, a knit group that is still going strong many years later (and always welcomes newcomers!) She was also an avid cook and baker. Edith competed for more than 30 years in a wide range of contests at The State Fair of Texas, winning numerous awards and ribbons for her baking and crafts.
Edith also had a special place in her heart for animals. There was always a cat or three underfoot, and there were as many family stories about cats as about people. As long as there was milk and cat food in the house, you could weather any storm. She was genuinely happy to have had grandcats as opposed to grandchildren, carrying around their photos in a small album to show to anyone that answered “yes” to the inevitable question: “Are you a cat person?” She also raised and showed Great Pyrenees dogs, which were famous in the neighborhood for escaping the backyard (jumping a six-foot fence!), just to sit on the front porch to “guard” the house.
Edith was a beloved Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother and Friend. She will be sorely missed by all those that loved her, cherished her, or even just briefly knew her.
Edith loved flowers, but she loved animals more, so we’ll leave it to your discretion to send flowers or donate in her memory to the animal cause that is nearest and dearest to your heart.
What’s your fondest memory of Edith?
What’s a lesson you learned from Edith?
Share a story where Edith's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Edith you’ll never forget.
How did Edith make you smile?