Margo W (Saikaly) Toma

MARGO WILLIAM SAIKALY  TOMA 1963-2022

Margo William Saikaly Toma , 58, went to be with the lord on May 27, 2022. She was born on June 15, 1963 in Kifermishky, Lebanon. Margo was a dedicated daughter, sister, wife and friend. She was a resident of Akron Ohio since 1973 and Willoughby Hills Ohio since 2001.

Margo pursued her education with zest and completed: Master of Arts – Akron University 2003, Bachelor of Arts – Akron University1997 and a Bachelor of Arts – Hiram 1986.

Clever, witty, compassion for animals, Michelin star cooking skills, family dedication. She was honest and loyal in all her relationships.  An eye for photography. A true teacher who lived with gusto and passion. An artist for all seasons.

Margo was preceded in death by her parents, Willian Mansour Saikaly, and Hanny Wadih Saikaly. Margo is survived by her husband, Jack Toma, of 21 years, married on October 14, 2001.

Margo is survived by special friends and family across the globe. Margo and Jack’s children, Bebe the cat; siblings, Maurice (Suzanne), Salma, Wilfred, (Lydia), Mary, Mansour (Mercy) and Tony; in-laws Bob (Christine), Michael (Cheryl) and Nancy (Nelson); seventeen nieces and nephews, (Brother Maurice) Brandon, Justin, Shannon, Kayla, Christian, (Brother Wilfred) Dantay, Gavin, Little Margo (Sister Mary) Leila, Tariq, Sarah, (Brother Mansour) Ssrelle, Sergio, Alisha, Adam, Aliyah, Honey, William; and thirteen great nieces and nephews, (Brother Robert) Mary, (Brother Michael) Julia, Emily, (Sister Nancy) Kristen, Nico; and One great Niece.

Margo was the first born of a family of seven children.  She has four brothers and two sisters. She lived in the village in the mountains of Lebanon, 2000 feet above sea-level, and famous for their wines, vegetables and Arak, the local Lebanese Drink. Margo was only one year older than Maurice, and when she went to school at 5, Maurice cried for three days, because was only 4, could not join. The school finally made exception for him to be with her and they continued their education as twins, until university.

November of 1973, the Saikaly family immigrated to Akron Ohio.  Akron was chosen because Margo’s dad had one half-sister, Hazel Haddad, from his mother but with a different father.  His sister had migrated to Akron Ohio in 1949 to marry Charlie Haddad.

The primary education for the family was at Margaret Park School, where Sam Salem, the head of Board of Education, also Lebanese, took very close care of the Saikaly children.  He ordered tutors and they accelerated and then they became tutors for the other children. Margo, it was discovered, was a brilliant artist, as she could draw and paint beautifully.  Many of her artworks were displayed and she won plenty of awards.

Margo attended the Methodist Good Shepherd Church in Akron on main street.  Where she and her sister Salma dedicated many hours to charity work.  They used their free time on weekends to go to the church and box clothing and medicine to send to the country of Haiti. Where she and her sister Salma met Betty Lou and Ed King.  Betty Lou fell in love with the sisters and asked their dad, if they can be Rainbow Girls.  Both girls were initiated into the Rainbow Girls in the Masonic Temple in downtown Akron.  The bases of the Rainbow girls was charity, and hence Margo’s continued Passion and dedication to charity was met.

Margo was 12 years old when she was inducted into the Rainbow Girls and took the positions of Hope, Faith, and Charity. At 14, Margo was confirmed into the Church and baptized. At age 15, Margo was invited to go to Haiti and deliver the messages of Jesus Christ and deliver goods for the people and it was a pivotal growth in her compassion. And at 15 Margo joined the Upward Bound Program for specially gifted students, where she once again accelerated and spent time going to schools with the Upward Bound to tutor.  She attended summer Upward Bound Programs at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio.  Margo later was accepted to attend Western Reserve, but declined to go to boarding school, as she wanted to stay with her parents and siblings.

Margo attended Kenmore High School and then Garfield High School. Where she graduated with honors and earned a four-year scholarship to Hiram College. At Hiram she graduated with honors, with a Bachelor of Arts in 1986.  Margo moved to Indiana where she worked for Timeshares company.  And remained in Indian until 1989, where she once again craved to be with her family and moved home. Upon her return to Akron, she lived with her brother Maurice and met Don Sobatti, Maurice’s friend, and dirt bike buddy.  Don fell in love immediately and proposed marriage to her father and they married and 1989 until 1995. Margo continued to pursue her education, and in 1997, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from University of Akron, in Photography.

In 1999, Margo met the love of her life, Jack Toma, through her brother Tony. Tony met Jack at Rockwell Automation in Mayfield Heights.  They were both engineers and met through Neil Amin.  Tony and Neil were both in the same group.  One day during lunch, Neil says to Jack, come on Jack let us put your resume together.  Tony, was shocked and said, oh no, Jack, are you looking for another Job?  Neil said no, Jack is looking for a wife.  And Tony said, oh, I have a sister, her name is Margo.  Tony goes home and tells dad about Jack.  Dad called Margo and said, Margo your brother has found you a husband, you must call him.  The pressure was on Jack by the Indian community because was 37 years old, which in India is ancient not to be married. Margo came out to California with her mother and Tony for her cousins Wedding and told everyone about Jack Toma.  Just happened that her cousin was marrying a woman with the last Toma.  So, we all prayed that this was a sign from God. Before Margo and Jack were to be married, Jack told Margo, the cat lover, that she cannot bring her cats, Duner and Martin, and Margo said, the package is the cats and Margo, no cats, no Margo. Sure enough, Margo and Jack tied the knot in 2001 and it was a happy, loving, synergistic, compatible, and respectful marriage for 21 years.

Margo continued to work on her higher education and earned a Master of Arts in 2003 from Akron University in Criminal Justice. She got a job with Savin as a corporate trainer, where she travelled across the United States, once again fulfilling her natural gift for teaching, and making friends wherever she went. She changed her career due to travels and not wanting to leave her loving husband and cats as often as she was for work.  Family first, family first, family first and foremost.  If you were lucky to cross paths with Margo, you were adopted and became her extended family.  She would proclaim, you are my sister from another mister, or my brother from another mother.

The next adventure was being a professor at the local university. Margo never gave up on her volunteer work and even became a roadie for Rock n Roll of Hall of Fame.  Margo volunteered for Dress a Girl with Hope, where Margo put her talents on the sewing machine to make dresses for girls all over the world, so they can go to school. Margo cooked, and cooked and cooked, to feed herself, her husband and everyone that encountered her.  Her famous Baklava was sold to clients around the country.  Margo used her mother’s recipe and perfected it. Her lemon cello makes the Italians cry in envy.

The family of Margo’s father and Mother are international and live in Canada, Venezuela, Brazil, Italy, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Colombia, Haiti, Argentina, Switzerland, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Cote de Voire, United States, Lebanon, Kuwait, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Panama, Portugal, Russia, Hungry, Ukraine, South Sudan to name a few.

MARGO,

GONE TOO SOON FOREVER SHINE LIKE THE MOON SHOWER YOUR GRACE AND COMPASSION ON US ALL AS WE GAIN TRACTION TO ONE DAY BE SEEN AS YOU ARE

GUIDE US TO YOU FROM AFAR SAY HELLO TO MOM AND DAD PURE HAPPINESS AND NEVER SAD ENJOY PARADISE AS WE KNOW  YOU WILL GARDEN YOUR FLOWERS

AND WATCH THEM GROW ALL THE BEAUTY YOU DESIRE AND YOUR HEART CAN KNOW WE ARE ALL HERE BUT ONLY YOU SURVIVED YOU ARE NEVER GONE YOU HAVE

JUST ARRIVED

------- MANSOUR W. SAIKALY (BROTHER)

Friends may call from 5-7 p.m. Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Schlup Pucak Funeral Home, 788 Kenmore Blvd, Akron. Funeral Services will be held 12 Noon Saturday at the Funeral Home with Dr. Robert Moeller officiating. Entombment to follow at Lakewood Cemetery.