George Clooney is mourning the loss of his older sister, Adelia “Ada” Zeidler, who died of cancer at age 65 on Friday, December 19, according to Us Weekly.
“My sister, Ada, was my hero,” Clooney said in a statement to People. “She faced down cancer with courage and humor. I’ve never met anyone so brave. Amal and I will miss her terribly.”
An obituary states that Zeidler died peacefully at St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood, Kentucky. A lifelong resident of Augusta, Kentucky, she was a talented artist who spent many years teaching art at Augusta Independent School. She was also active in her community, belonging to a local book club and the Augusta Art Guild, and once served as grand marshal of the town’s White Christmas Parade.
Born May 2, 1960, to journalist Nick Clooney and Nina Bruce Warren, Zeidler was known for her academic achievements and deep ties to her hometown. She later worked as a bookkeeper and married retired Army captain Norman Zeidler in 1987. He died in 2004.
Zeidler is survived by her children, Nick Zeidler and Allison Zeidler Herolaga, her brother George and his wife Amal Clooney, and extended family members. A funeral service will be held Monday, December 22, at St. Patrick Catholic Church.
Though she lived privately, Ada remained close to her famous brother and attended his 2014 wedding in Venice. Clooney often spoke of their bond, recalling how their family shared holidays helping others-a lesson, he said, that shaped his life.
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