Longtime Riverhead resident Edna H. Vail passed away on December 15, 2014 at the age of 98.
Edde, as she liked to be called, moved from Brooklyn to Riverhead 82 years ago when she first married.
She was a well-known musician and music teacher who travelled to all North Fork towns to give piano, accordion and guitar lessons to hundreds of students. She also was a church organist for over 30 years.
In 1957 when Otto Ninow opened Ninow’s Music Store on Railroad Avenue in Riverhead he asked Edna to teach for him, and she shortly began giving music lessons. Her son, Ralph said “She loved to teach and said she hoped to die teaching, and always told each student to ‘practice and try your best.’” In June of 1967 she and Ralph purchased the business from Mr. Ninow. The business became a fixture in Riverhead.
Unfortunately on Jan 1, 2006, Edna had one of several strokes. Her son continued to operate the store. In June 2013 he decided with his helpers that because of the continuing decline of the area that they could no longer continued a family-oriented business on Railroad Avenue, and relocated the business to 30 West Main Street in Riverhead.
Edna had one son, Forrest W. Vail who died in 1970. Forrest’s wife, Mieko died in 2010. They gave her three grandsons, Bill, John, and Daniel all of Riverhead, and a granddaughter, Mindy Sullivan who lives in Tennesee. Edna was the oldest of four; her two sisters and brother predeceased her.
There will be no funeral service. Ralph said, “She has outlived all her family and friends, and attributes her longevity to the love she shared with everyone.”
The family would like donations be made to the Flanders-Northampton Volunteer Ambulance or Vail-Leavitt Music Hall in Riverhead.
This is a paid notice.