“You Are The Wind Beneath Our Wings”

Ronnell Johnson Edwards, (69) a beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, and aunt, of Beachwood, Ohio completed her transition from her home on December 9, 2023. Ronnell’s twin brother, Ronald preceded her in death, as did their parents Monroe and Mary Magdeline Johnson.  Siblings, Monroe (Jr.), Marilyn, and Daniel preceded her in death. Ronnell accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized under the pastoralship of Dr. Ronald C. Williams Sr., St. Peter’s AME Zion Church (Cleveland, Ohio) where she sang in the choir. She attended Cleveland Public Schools and was a 1971 graduate of John F. Kennedy High School.  Ronnell expressed a desire and passion to become a nurse, and at the age of 14 and began working as a nurse’s aide.  After graduating high school, Ronnell became a LPN, and continued her studies at Kent State University and Cuyahoga Community College, eventually receiving an Associates of Science Degree in Nursing, and becoming a Registered Nurse.

In 1974, Ronnell married Dale Edwards and three children were born from this union; Danelle, Dionne (deceased) and Dale Don-Michael.

Ronnell worked as a nurse at various hospitals throughout the city including Mt. Sinai, University Manor Nursing Home, Willow Park Nursing Home, Park East Care and Rehabilitation Center, and Brentwood Hospital.  Her last assignment was with Cleveland Clinic’s South Pointe Hospital, from which she retired after working many years on the 7^th floor (Med-surgical floor).  Ronnell was known as “Ronnie’ by all in the medical field, as she received many milestone awards throughout her distinguished career for dedicated and committed service to Brentwood and Cleveland Clinic’s South Pointe Hospitals.

Ronnell was an avid reader from an early age and loved reading mystery/suspense and urban fiction novels. She loved to dance and would hand dance with her brothers and her husband, Dale. The untimely death of her daughter Dionne, resulted in Ronnell becoming the caregiver for her grandchildren, Dior and Maverick.  She educated, nurtured, and taught them about life along with her other grandchildren.  The Christmas holiday was her favorite time of the year and she never missed celebrating her children and grandchildren’s Birthdays.  Everyone received a birthday cake and gifts!  Ronnell also volunteered at various school and sports events, and was known throughout the Beachwood community, and especially in her neighborhood on Concord Dr. where she was affectionally known as NANA.  The kids in the neighborhood knew they could always come to the house and grab a drink or snack! She was everyone’s NANA!

Ronnell is survived by her husband Dale; daughter Danelle, son Dale Don-Michael; grandchildren; Dior, Rylynn, Jaymon, Maverick and Laila.  She also leaves to cherish her memory, her only living sibling Jerome (Beverly) Johnson of Twinsburg, OH; her mother-in-law, Almira Byrd of Orange Village, OH; her Aunts Rose Bailey and Lillian Ramsey of Cleveland, Ohio; sisters-in-law; Yvonne (Michael) Fernandez of Simpsonville, South Carolina; Trenace Holland of Warrensville Heights, OH, Vernell Smith of Cleveland, OH, Janice Johnson of Garfield Heights, OH; Heather Edwards of Indianapolis, Indiana; brothers-in-law Kenneth (Armani) Edwards of Cincinnati, OH; Sean Edwards, and William (Carmin) Edwards of Indianapolis, Indiana; a host of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.  Other special life-long friends, Jennifer Jones, Janice Thomas, Christine Kee, Alisa Blair-Tucker, Deb Wilson, her Concord-Beacon family/neighbors, Beachwood Schools, Beachwood moms, and her friends and associates at Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital (7^th floor).