Fay Wish

Fay Wish (nee Kosins), 94, joined her beloved husband Don in eternity on November 19, 2022. She was the treasure of her three daughters and their families, including five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; the heart and soul of Akron institution Lakeshore Jewelers, which she and Don founded and owned for 47 years; and a force of nature with her non-stop energy, her love of a good party, and so much glamour and personality that perfect strangers would wind up pouring her drinks, holding her hand or even shoveling portions of their meals into her plate when she was out with family members for an evening.

Fay was born in Detroit to the late Max and Helen Kosins, who were prominent men’s clothiers in the city. She met Don, the love of her life, in 1948 and he was instantly smitten with his “Faygee.” They moved to Akron in 1953 when Don purchased the concessions at the old Summit Beach Park, and they worked side by side at Lakeshore when Don opened the store a few years later until his death in 1993. For decades their social circle included a “club” consisting of close couples who met monthly for dinner, poker (for the men) and mahjong (for the women), and she and Don shared many adventures as they traveled the world in search of merchandise for the store.

After Don’s death, her main focus was her children, particularly her daughter and three grandchildren who lived in Akron and for whom “Bubbe” was a second mother. Weekends and often weekdays were spent at Bubbe’s, frequently pursuing Fay’s passion for shopping and then returning things as well as favorite pastimes like going through the “splash” in Sand Run Parkway. Fay also visited her two other daughters in Chicago and Los Angeles frequently, traveled with them to destinations ranging from New Orleans and Texas to Israel, and was always ready for a night out – whether a Paul McCartney concert or a Cirque du Soleil performance in Las Vegas.

Fay “The Queen” is survived by her daughters Rena (Sonny) Cohen, Mara (Doug) Buttleman and Boni Wish; her grandchildren Yale (Stephania) Cohen, Hallie (Scott) Straus, Cameron Kent, Jesse Kent and Dakota Kent; and her great-grandchildren Summer, Kittner and Taylor Straus.

The funeral will take place on Tuesday, November 22 at 1:30 PM ET at Gordon Memorial Home (1260 Collier Rd, Akron, OH), followed by the entombment at Rose Hill Burial Park (Fairlawn, OH). The family will be receiving Shiva visitors at the Wish Residence following the entombment.

For those wishing to attend services via Zoom, please contact Gordon Memorial Home for details.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Anti-Defamation League would be appreciated.


























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