Zoila Mahabee

Live Streaming of the Service for Zoila Mahabee

Zoila Mahabee (nee De La Cruz), of Mason and formerly of New York, passed away peacefully on September 13, 2022 at the age of 93. The youngest daughter of Bernabe and Benita (nee Planche) De La Cruz, she was born on May 5, 1929 in Guantanamo, Cuba.

Zoila came to the U.S. knowing very little English, yet she excelled in her education and was a Masters prepared Registered Nurse and a Nursing Director for many years at the Daughters of Jacob Nursing Home in New York City. She was an honest and kind person who enjoyed meeting new people and talking to anyone at any time. She was friendly, loved children, and was a true people person. Everyone loved her and described her as an amazing, wonderful, and dynamic woman.

Zoila had a creative mind. Her creativity was best expressed through fine needle work, arts and crafts, sewing, painting, and most of all her amazing ability to knit and crochet intricate sweaters, hats, and other items. Zoila was an excellent cook and took pride in creating  delicious feasts for the people she loved and extra to feed an army “just in case” more people happened by.

Zoila and her husband Zephaniah enjoyed traveling all over the United States and the world. They visited Amsterdam, Belgium, Germany, Israel, Spain, and Jamaica, to mention a few of her favorite stops. She had a passion for music, a beautiful voice, and she loved to dance.

As a Seventh-Day Adventist, Zoila remained devoted and strong in her faith since her childhood. She attended Jackson Heights SDA Church in New York for 53 years before transferring her membership to the Middletown Seventh-Day Adventist church in Middletown, Ohio during the last eight years.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her seven sisters and one brother.

Zoila is survived by her beloved husband of 66 years, Zephaniah Mahabee, three loving daughters, Marilyn (Wayne) Mahabee-Harris, PhD, Denise (Lamont) Kerley, MSN, RN, AG-CNS, and Melinda (Paul) Mahabee-Gittens, MD, PhD, nine grandchildren, Remy (Donald), Ruben, Rebekah (Samuel), Breyanna, David, Benjamin (Danqi), Basia, Olivia, and Nicholas, as well as three great grandchildren, Zaid, Adrian and Gianna and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 25th from 10:00am - 11:00am with a funeral service at 11:00am at the Mueller Funeral Home, 6791 Tylersville Road, Mason, OH 45040. A committal service will take place on Monday, September 26th at 2:00pm at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mason.

Mueller Funeral Home is honored to serve the Mahabee Family. 513-398-9100