Edith L. Serafine, age 81, of Harmony, Minn., formerly of Paradise, Calif.,, died on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, Wis.
Edith Leona Slafter was born on February 10, 1939, in Stewartville, Minn., to Melvin Slafter and Leona Smith. She enjoyed telling everyone that she was the oldest of 12. Edith left Minnesota in 1958 and went to Southern California. Edith met Joseph Sciolaro and later married in a double wedding with their good friends in Las Vegas. She loved her neighborhood friends and also had many memories redecorating each other’s homes. She also went to cosmetology school and loved doing hair and nails for everyone. Joseph and Edith later divorced in 1979. In 1983 she married Gerald Serafine and moved to Magalia in 1988 and later to Paradise, Calif. Edith was the president of the Paradise Women’s Club and was also in the P’s and Q’s in Paradise. She loved to decorate with a Victorian flair and always loved to be color coordinated when she dressed. She loved doing flower arrangements, gardening, and cooking with an occasional glass of wine. She was a social butterfly who loved square dancing or any kind of dancing, and was a fabulous quilter. Her beloved dog, Minnie, alerted them to the fire in Paradise that not only took their house, but their entire town. The camp fire was the most destructive fire in California history. They lost everything on November 8, 2018. Minnie was truly a devoted pet and misses Edith dearly.
Edith is survived by her daughter Candi (Michael) Koonce of West Sand Lake, N.Y. and Santa Ana, Calif., grandchildren Amy (Kyle Belamy) Koonce of Edinburgh, Scotland, and Andrew Koonce of Ballston Spa, N.Y. She is also survived by siblings Merrill (Pat) Slafter of Plattsmouth, Nebr., Marvin (Jean) Slafter of Spring Grove, Minn., Jennie (Jerry) Kyseth of Spring Grove, Minn., Sharon (Larry) Walker of Santa Rosa, Calif., Doris Ranc of Charles City, Iowa, Robert (Janice) Smith of Kellogg, Minn., Miles Smith of Austin, Minn., Alice Smith of Austin, Minn., Isabelle Smith of Santa Rosa, Calif., and Donna Smith of Santa Rosa, Calif.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her son Samuel, husband Joseph, husband Gerald, and her sister Marylou Thompson.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a private family service was held on Monday, May 11, 2020 at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley, Minn., with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial took place in Spring Valley Cemetery.
Online condolences may be left at Hindtfuneralhomes.com.