Aiken, SC - Mrs. Felicia Pauline Sidley, 84, died on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at Augusta University Medical Center.
Born in Jersey City, New Jersey to Italian-Polish immigrants Vincent and Anna Ventola, Mrs. Sidley subsequently lived and traveled far beyond the Garden State borders. She was preceded in death by the two great loves of her life, adored husband of 23 years, Francis Paul Sidley, and former husband of 21 years, Leonard Thomas Samuels. Mrs. Sidley was a stunning auburn-haired beauty. From an early age, she was affectionately known to most as “Bunny” and later in life, as Grandma Bunny.
She lived adventurously from post-World War II France to North Carolina, Georgia, Germany, Pennsylvania, and Florida, before finally retiring to South Carolina after the death of Mr. Sidley. She took great joy in recollecting travel that took her to the top of the Eiffel Tower, up the long since closed stairs of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and many summer weeks spent embedded at the grand Diplomat Hotel in Miami Beach.
While living in Augusta, she taught ballroom dance at the Arthur Murray Studio and then went on to work in broadcast news at CBS-affiliate station WRDW-12. Mrs. Sidley began there as a receptionist, but ultimately undertook many roles, from on-air talent to bookkeeping. Along with Mr. Samuels, she championed for equal workplace benefits for women there before leaving to work in accounting at Fort Gordon for the United States Department of Defense. She was with the department for the remainder of her career, retiring in 1998.
Mrs. Sidley loved her family beyond measure and treasured having so many who lived nearby. She enjoyed frequent visits and phone calls from them all. Mrs. Sidley was also a lifelong animal lover, who doted on family pets and her own cats throughout the years. She had a special knack for creative gift giving, bestowing her family with unique mail-order presents on holidays and birthdays, earning her the occasional moniker, “The Catalog Queen.”
Mrs. Sidley is survived by her children: Suzanne P. Hilburn (Doug), Paula M. Wood, and David R. Wood, Jr.; her grandchildren: Jennifer Jones Legg (Tim), Felicia Jones, Heather Lyon (Glenn), Sarah Davidson Dasher, and Louisa Dasher Martin (John); nine great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
The family wishes to acknowledge and is grateful for the excellent and loving care that Mrs. Sidley received from her many providers at Augusta University Medical Center and Affinis Hospice.
A graveside service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, May 1, 2017 at Westover Memorial Park with Father Michael Hull officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the CSRA Humane Society.