Ailene Wade

(Doris) Ailene Wade came to her rest on Tuesday, April 27, 2021. She was surrounded by love of her family and is now at peace. She was born at home in New Castle, Indiana on August 23, 1929. Ailene survived the loss of her husband, Jack, for 50 days.  She was also preceded in death by their daughter Annette Moran, her parents, Ella  and Russell Norris; and her grandparents, Mayme Benedict and Alphonso Norris, Ollie and Effie Kendall. She is survived  by her children Bruce Wade (Star), Karen McAllister (Barry), Cheryl Farmer (Timothy), and Michael Wade (Laura); her 14 grandchildren Amy Cymanski (Scott), John Wade (Erin), Christopher Wade (Kristin), Patrick Wade (Alyson), Laura McAllister, Sarah McAllister, Ryan McAllister, Kathlene Keever (Donald), Timothy Moran (Samantha), Robert Moran (Ariane), Andrew Moran (Nichole), Amanda Farmer, Catherine Yu (Weijen), Veronica Farmer; and her 16 great-grandchildren Payton, Joey, Jimmy, Emily, Gavin, Amelia, Emerson, Hadley, Landon, Taya, Kiley, Savannah, Alia, Aidan, Conor, Nola; and 2 sisters-in-law, Nancy Raybould (Robert), and Linda Colton (Donald).

Ailene grew up as an only child in New Castle and then in Indianapolis. She went to George Washington High School where, freshman year, she met Jack, the love of her life. They graduated in 1947 and married in 1948. When her youngest daughter was 3, Ailene began her pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in education. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa in just 4 years from Illinois State University. During this time, she still did all the cooking, cleaning, home maintenance, and made most of her daughters’ clothing, and worked as a bookkeeper. She was the absolute “Super Mom”.

Ailene began teaching 6th grade English and Social Studies in 1970 at Komarek School in North Riverside, Illinois. She then earned a master’s degree from North Eastern Illinois University. Keeping up with the changes in education, she set up and maintained Komarek’s first computer lab. She continued college coursework ending up with all the hours necessary for a doctorate. When the family moved to Albuquerque, Ailene became a substitute teacher until a full time job opened up. She taught at Truman Middle School until her retirement in 1999. After retirement, she volunteered at Lovelace and Presbyterian hospitals. 

Ailene was always family first as a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Two generations grew up under her close watch, often under her roof. She was the family’s center and compass.

Everything she did in life she did well, and she did many things. She built two houses, ran some of the electrical and plumbing, laid tile, painted, plastered walls, poured concrete, installed cabinets, and even roofed one house while pregnant. She was an expert crocheter and knitter, den mother, Girl Scout leader, avid reader, carpenter, bookkeeper, photographer, and gardener. She would take walks out onto the mesa with a bucket and trowel, returning with cacti she saved as housing developments went in nearby. And no one, no one, made lighter yeast rolls.

Ailene had a strong sense of duty, of right and wrong, and of our place in the world and in history. She continued to learn and educate herself and others, and always made sure everyone knew the difference between “may” and “can”.

Visitation is Thursday, May 6th from 4 to 6 pm with a graveside service on May 7th at 11 am at Vista Verde Memorial Park on Sara Road in Rio Rancho.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Greater Albuquerque Habitat for Humanity, www.habitatabq.com