Doina Ileana Dragoi (née Biciulescu), born on August 18, 1927 in Bucharest, Romania passed away early Monday morning, May 3, 2021 at home, surrounded by family.

Doina (Didi to many) was the light and strength to her family, friends, colleagues, clients, neighbors, and community. She brought people together. Didi was courageous, warm, charismatic, and fiercely intelligent (and had a hell of a smile – she smiled with her eyes).

She was born, grew up and lived in Bucharest for 58 years (a city gal through and through). Following a career in investment banking, she immigrated to Solon, Ohio to be with her family, including her daughter and grandchildren, and pivoted into a later in life career that offered her flexibility. Becoming an aesthetician, she worked at Chagrin Hairdressers (among other salons), connecting with her co-workers, and clients. Doina felt at ease and at home in both the United States (where she became a proud citizen) and Romania.

Doina taught us how to move in this world openly, with joy and optimism (and a healthy dose of cynicism).   She taught (and showed) us how not to be fearful of change – to expand and fight; fight (peacefully) to adapt and adjust, but also to push boundaries, to transform, and to imagine something different. She loved nature, spoke multiple languages, and was committed to culture, the arts, and music (including the Cleveland Orchestra and Blossom), playing the piano herself, as well.  She enjoyed travel and flight (always the window seat, always), and travelled well into her early 90s with her family.

Doina married Ovidiu Dragoi in 1949, and they were married for over 60 years; she was an amazing mother to Andreea Maria Raaber (George Raaber) and Serban Dragoi (Mioara Dragoi); grandmother to Matthew Raaber (Rubin Chen) and Natalie Raaber; great grandmother to Zoey Chen Raaber (who she was thrilled to meet); sister to Dinu Biciulescu (Roxana); and daughter to Constanța and Marin Biciulescu. She was Buddy's (our dog) closest companion – and the love between them was palpable. Many others – including family and friends – were deeply special to her. Didi will be missed by us all, but her energy, sage advice, and love will remain.

Prayer

O God of all spirits and flesh, Who has trodden down death, destroying the power of the devil, bestowing life on Your world, to the soul of Your servant DOINA departed this life, do You Yourself, O Lord, give rest in a place of light, in a place of green pasture, in a place of refreshment, from where pain and sorrow and mourning are fled away. Every sin by her committed in thought, word, or deed, do You as our good and loving God forgive, seeing that there is no man that shall live and sin not, for You alone are without sin: Your righteousness, and Your law is truth.

***

Dumnezeul duhurilor şi a tot trupul, Care ai călcat moartea şi pe diavol l‑ai surpat şi ai dăruit viaţă lumii Tale, însuţi, Doamne, odihneşte sufletul adormitei roabei Tale DOINA, în loc luminat, în loc de verdeaţă, în loc de odihnă, de unde a fugit toată durerea, întristarea şi suspinarea. Şi orice greşeală ce a săvârşit ea cu cuvântul, sau cu lucrul, sau cu gândul, ca un Dumnezeu bun şi iubitor de oameni, iartă‑i. Că nu este om care să fie viu şi să nu greşească; numai Tu singur eşti fără de păcat, dreptatea Ta este dreptate în veac şi cuvântul Tău este adevărul.