Dee Aufuldish

Dee Aufuldish, age 90, of Wickliffe, passed away peacefully on August 24, 2026. She was born on May 28, 1936, in Dayton, Ohio, to the late Gottfried and Louisa Gombert (née Bleck). A native of Dayton, Dee made Wickliffe her home and was a devoted parishioner of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church beginning in 1961. Above all, family was central to her life. She shared 67 wonderful years of marriage with her beloved husband, Bob. Dee served with distinction as the Executive Director of the Wickliffe Area Chamber of Commerce from 1979 to 2006. Under her visionary leadership, chamber membership expanded from roughly 50 members to more than 250. She championed local businesses by introducing vital cost-saving programs, including group health insurance and workers' compensation pooling, while passionately encouraging residents to shop local. Dee spearheaded numerous beloved civic traditions and beautification projects, including the annual Geranium Sale, Victorian Tea, Euclid Avenue banners, flower planters, holiday business window painting, the Bridal Fair, Secretary of the Year, Business of the Year, and the community Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony-traditions that continue to enrich the city today. In addition to editing the chamber newsletter, Dee served as managing editor of The Wickliffe Connection, the community newspaper she co-founded with her husband, where she continued contributing as a business writer. Beyond Wickliffe, Dee was an active leader across the region. She was a member of the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Ohio, an officer of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, a board member of the Lake County Economic Development 504 SBA Corporation, and served on the Lubrizol Corporation Community Advisory Panel for 11 years. Dee graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Dayton and earned her Master's degree from Michigan State University. She also completed advanced professional training through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management at the University of Notre Dame. A dedicated community advocate, Dee was active with the League of Women Voters and the Christ Child Society. Her tireless service earned her honors as the Wickliffe Jay-C-Ettes Woman of the Year (1978) and a Woman of Achievement by the Lakeland Community College Women's Center (2002). Dee is survived by her devoted husband of 67 years, Bob Aufuldish; her loving children, Bob Aufuldish III (Kathy), Kathie Freshour (Alex), and Ed Aufuldish (Dawn); cherished grandchildren, Em, Amelia, Jake (Brooke), Luke, and Mary Beth; and her sister, Trudy O'Rourke. The family extends special gratitude to the compassionate caregivers at Fairmount Health Center at Breckenridge Village and Ohio Living Home Health & Hospice. Visitation will be on Friday, September 4, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Monreal Srnick Funeral Home, 35400 Curtis Blvd., Eastlake, OH 44095. Funeral Mass will be on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at 10:00 AM at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 29850 Euclid Ave., Wickliffe, OH 44092. In lieu of flowers donations in her honor can be made to Sisters of Charity.

Dee Aufuldish

May 28, 1936 - August 24, 2026

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