Edith Smolens RIP

Edith Smolens passed away last week, and I wanted to take a few moments to remember her here because she gave so much to our community over the years.

Edith was a teacher in Melrose for over 25 years, and education was always close to her heart. She was an active member of The Bridge, the school volunteer organization, for many years, and she helped start the annual Spelling/Trivia Bee fund-raiser, one of our great Melrose traditions. As a member of the League of Women Voters, Edith attended School Committee meetings as part of the League’s Observer Corps—and, she later told the Melrose Free Press, she had to learn to keep a poker face. “Someone said ‘All I have to do is look up at Edith Smolens and I know exactly how things are going,’” she said in a 2004 interview. “It taught me a lesson—after that, I was always very careful to keep my face [neutral]”—not an easy feat for Edith! She and the other members also walked through the city, visiting different sites that had been proposed for a new high school. 

Above all, Edith was someone who was passionately committed to the cause of human rights, in a very down-to-earth way. People were people to her, regardless of race, religion, or any other factor, and all people were worthy of respect. This meant that she was always willing to stand up when she saw something was wrong and to work hard to make our community better. She helped start the Human Rights Commission’s Martin Luther King Day Dinner, now a beloved Melrose institution, and she was an active and involved member of Temple Beth Shalom.

Edith came to Melrose 55 years ago, and she left it, last week, a better place than she found it.  The many organizations that she contributed to will continue her work, but we will miss her sharp tongue, strong personality, and delightful sense of humor.

Rest in peace, Edith.