Edna Lipshy Zale avoided taking credit for all her family gave to the less fortunate.
But friends and family say the widow of Morris Bernard "M.B." Zale, who built the world's largest retail jewelry chain from a single store, motivated many of the good deeds for which her family was known.
Mrs. Zale, 89, died of bone cancer Saturday in her Dallas home. Services will be at 3:30 p.m. Monday in Temple Emanu-El's main sanctuary. Burial will follow at Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park.
"She was the perfect lady," said Kern Wildenthal, president of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, which has received millions of dollars from the Zale and Lipshy families.
"She always let her husband, and subsequently her son, take the spotlight, but she was the heart and soul of the family," he said. "She kept things going. Anyone who knew the family knew she was the core, the compass point."
Southwestern's Zale Lipshy University Hospital is named for Mrs. Zale, her husband, her brother and her brother's wife, Mr. Wildenthal said.
He said the Zale and Lipshy families are responsible for Southwestern's prominence.
It is hard to put a finger on all that Mrs. Zale did, Mr. Wildenthal said.
"She was always self-effacing," he said. "She was the matriarch, but she never let herself be the focus."
Her son Donald Zale of Dallas agreed, saying his mother was happiest out of the limelight, supporting her husband.
Although she was quiet in public, her charitable nature fueled the family's efforts to help the hungry and homeless, her son said.
Thanks to her influence, the M.B. and Edna Zale Foundation gives to shelters throughout Dallas, as well as in New York, Florida, Oregon and Atlanta, Mr. Zale said.
Other groups that have benefited from the foundation include the former Bishop College, Children's Medical Center of Dallas, Baylor University Medical Center, the American Indian Center of Dallas, the Dallas Theater Center, the Father Rahm Clinic in El Paso and the Dallas Special Care School.
The Zales also were among the first to offer college scholarships to minority students, including Southern Methodist University, UT Southwestern and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Mr. Zale said.
Looking after others, whether family members or strangers, was Mrs. Zale's nature, her son said.
"The Lipshy family was known for its compassion and its sense of humor," he said. "She epitomized that."
Mrs. Zale was one of eight Lipshy children. She was born and raised in Fort Worth.
In her late teens, she followed her sister to Wichita Falls and became an office worker in her brother-in-law's pipe and oilfield supply company.
There, she met her husband, who was also from Fort Worth. The couple moved to Dallas in 1946, her son said. M.B. Zale died in March 1995 at age 93 of complications from pneumonia. The couple had been married 68 years.
Despite the family's financial success, Mrs. Zale always traveled with a kitchen kit, so she could cook her husband breakfast, her son said.
Other survivors include a sister, Goldie Persky of Dallas; another son, Marvin Zale of Boca Raton, Fla.; a daughter, Gloria Landsberg of Great Neck, N.Y.; a nephew she helped raise, Leo Fields of Dallas; 14 grandchildren; and 35 great-grandchildren.
Published in the Dallas Morning News on 12-30-1996.
But friends and family say the widow of Morris Bernard "M.B." Zale, who built the world's largest retail jewelry chain from a single store, motivated many of the good deeds for which her family was known.
Mrs. Zale, 89, died of bone cancer Saturday in her Dallas home. Services will be at 3:30 p.m. Monday in Temple Emanu-El's main sanctuary. Burial will follow at Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park.
"She was the perfect lady," said Kern Wildenthal, president of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, which has received millions of dollars from the Zale and Lipshy families.
"She always let her husband, and subsequently her son, take the spotlight, but she was the heart and soul of the family," he said. "She kept things going. Anyone who knew the family knew she was the core, the compass point."
Southwestern's Zale Lipshy University Hospital is named for Mrs. Zale, her husband, her brother and her brother's wife, Mr. Wildenthal said.
He said the Zale and Lipshy families are responsible for Southwestern's prominence.
It is hard to put a finger on all that Mrs. Zale did, Mr. Wildenthal said.
"She was always self-effacing," he said. "She was the matriarch, but she never let herself be the focus."
Her son Donald Zale of Dallas agreed, saying his mother was happiest out of the limelight, supporting her husband.
Although she was quiet in public, her charitable nature fueled the family's efforts to help the hungry and homeless, her son said.
Thanks to her influence, the M.B. and Edna Zale Foundation gives to shelters throughout Dallas, as well as in New York, Florida, Oregon and Atlanta, Mr. Zale said.
Other groups that have benefited from the foundation include the former Bishop College, Children's Medical Center of Dallas, Baylor University Medical Center, the American Indian Center of Dallas, the Dallas Theater Center, the Father Rahm Clinic in El Paso and the Dallas Special Care School.
The Zales also were among the first to offer college scholarships to minority students, including Southern Methodist University, UT Southwestern and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Mr. Zale said.
Looking after others, whether family members or strangers, was Mrs. Zale's nature, her son said.
"The Lipshy family was known for its compassion and its sense of humor," he said. "She epitomized that."
Mrs. Zale was one of eight Lipshy children. She was born and raised in Fort Worth.
In her late teens, she followed her sister to Wichita Falls and became an office worker in her brother-in-law's pipe and oilfield supply company.
There, she met her husband, who was also from Fort Worth. The couple moved to Dallas in 1946, her son said. M.B. Zale died in March 1995 at age 93 of complications from pneumonia. The couple had been married 68 years.
Despite the family's financial success, Mrs. Zale always traveled with a kitchen kit, so she could cook her husband breakfast, her son said.
Other survivors include a sister, Goldie Persky of Dallas; another son, Marvin Zale of Boca Raton, Fla.; a daughter, Gloria Landsberg of Great Neck, N.Y.; a nephew she helped raise, Leo Fields of Dallas; 14 grandchildren; and 35 great-grandchildren.
Published in the Dallas Morning News on 12-30-1996.
Edna Lipshy Zale avoided taking credit for all her family gave to the less fortunate.
But friends and family say the widow of Morris Bernard "M.B." Zale, who built the world's largest retail jewelry chain from a single store, motivated many of the good deeds for which her family was known.
Mrs. Zale, 89, died of bone cancer Saturday in her Dallas home. Services will be at 3:30 p.m. Monday in Temple Emanu-El's main sanctuary. Burial will follow at Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park.
"She was the perfect lady," said Kern Wildenthal, president of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, which has received millions of dollars from the Zale and Lipshy families.
"She always let her husband, and subsequently her son, take the spotlight, but she was the heart and soul of the family," he said. "She kept things going. Anyone who knew the family knew she was the core, the compass point."
Southwestern's Zale Lipshy University Hospital is named for Mrs. Zale, her husband, her brother and her brother's wife, Mr. Wildenthal said.
He said the Zale and Lipshy families are responsible for Southwestern's prominence.
It is hard to put a finger on all that Mrs. Zale did, Mr. Wildenthal said.
"She was always self-effacing," he said. "She was the matriarch, but she never let herself be the focus."
Her son Donald Zale of Dallas agreed, saying his mother was happiest out of the limelight, supporting her husband.
Although she was quiet in public, her charitable nature fueled the family's efforts to help the hungry and homeless, her son said.
Thanks to her influence, the M.B. and Edna Zale Foundation gives to shelters throughout Dallas, as well as in New York, Florida, Oregon and Atlanta, Mr. Zale said.
Other groups that have benefited from the foundation include the former Bishop College, Children's Medical Center of Dallas, Baylor University Medical Center, the American Indian Center of Dallas, the Dallas Theater Center, the Father Rahm Clinic in El Paso and the Dallas Special Care School.
The Zales also were among the first to offer college scholarships to minority students, including Southern Methodist University, UT Southwestern and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Mr. Zale said.
Looking after others, whether family members or strangers, was Mrs. Zale's nature, her son said.
"The Lipshy family was known for its compassion and its sense of humor," he said. "She epitomized that."
Mrs. Zale was one of eight Lipshy children. She was born and raised in Fort Worth.
In her late teens, she followed her sister to Wichita Falls and became an office worker in her brother-in-law's pipe and oilfield supply company.
There, she met her husband, who was also from Fort Worth. The couple moved to Dallas in 1946, her son said. M.B. Zale died in March 1995 at age 93 of complications from pneumonia. The couple had been married 68 years.
Despite the family's financial success, Mrs. Zale always traveled with a kitchen kit, so she could cook her husband breakfast, her son said.
Other survivors include a sister, Goldie Persky of Dallas; another son, Marvin Zale of Boca Raton, Fla.; a daughter, Gloria Landsberg of Great Neck, N.Y.; a nephew she helped raise, Leo Fields of Dallas; 14 grandchildren; and 35 great-grandchildren.
Published in the Dallas Morning News on 12-30-1996.
But friends and family say the widow of Morris Bernard "M.B." Zale, who built the world's largest retail jewelry chain from a single store, motivated many of the good deeds for which her family was known.
Mrs. Zale, 89, died of bone cancer Saturday in her Dallas home. Services will be at 3:30 p.m. Monday in Temple Emanu-El's main sanctuary. Burial will follow at Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park.
"She was the perfect lady," said Kern Wildenthal, president of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, which has received millions of dollars from the Zale and Lipshy families.
"She always let her husband, and subsequently her son, take the spotlight, but she was the heart and soul of the family," he said. "She kept things going. Anyone who knew the family knew she was the core, the compass point."
Southwestern's Zale Lipshy University Hospital is named for Mrs. Zale, her husband, her brother and her brother's wife, Mr. Wildenthal said.
He said the Zale and Lipshy families are responsible for Southwestern's prominence.
It is hard to put a finger on all that Mrs. Zale did, Mr. Wildenthal said.
"She was always self-effacing," he said. "She was the matriarch, but she never let herself be the focus."
Her son Donald Zale of Dallas agreed, saying his mother was happiest out of the limelight, supporting her husband.
Although she was quiet in public, her charitable nature fueled the family's efforts to help the hungry and homeless, her son said.
Thanks to her influence, the M.B. and Edna Zale Foundation gives to shelters throughout Dallas, as well as in New York, Florida, Oregon and Atlanta, Mr. Zale said.
Other groups that have benefited from the foundation include the former Bishop College, Children's Medical Center of Dallas, Baylor University Medical Center, the American Indian Center of Dallas, the Dallas Theater Center, the Father Rahm Clinic in El Paso and the Dallas Special Care School.
The Zales also were among the first to offer college scholarships to minority students, including Southern Methodist University, UT Southwestern and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Mr. Zale said.
Looking after others, whether family members or strangers, was Mrs. Zale's nature, her son said.
"The Lipshy family was known for its compassion and its sense of humor," he said. "She epitomized that."
Mrs. Zale was one of eight Lipshy children. She was born and raised in Fort Worth.
In her late teens, she followed her sister to Wichita Falls and became an office worker in her brother-in-law's pipe and oilfield supply company.
There, she met her husband, who was also from Fort Worth. The couple moved to Dallas in 1946, her son said. M.B. Zale died in March 1995 at age 93 of complications from pneumonia. The couple had been married 68 years.
Despite the family's financial success, Mrs. Zale always traveled with a kitchen kit, so she could cook her husband breakfast, her son said.
Other survivors include a sister, Goldie Persky of Dallas; another son, Marvin Zale of Boca Raton, Fla.; a daughter, Gloria Landsberg of Great Neck, N.Y.; a nephew she helped raise, Leo Fields of Dallas; 14 grandchildren; and 35 great-grandchildren.
Published in the Dallas Morning News on 12-30-1996.
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