Vermel M. Whalen, age 84 of Cleveland, OH passed recently. Whalen served in the Ohio House of Representatives, 1986 – 97, for Cuyahoga County on various committees.

Whalen was a realtor in addition to serving in the Ohio General Assembly. She had been active in the Black Women P.A.C., the 11th Congressional District Caucus, the Ward 1 Democratic Club, the United Black Fund, the Lee-Harvard and Mt. Pleasant Community Association, the Mt. Pleasant Community Council and Merchants Association, and the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party.

 She was a kind of moral conscience for our community, who understood that politics in the right context could contribute significantly to serving the common needs of humanity. Vermal was known as an unrelenting campaigner, who always kept her eyes on the prize of achieving social and economic advance for our community and the entire state of Ohio. I remember all too well how my father pulled together a coalition of Southeast Cleveland Councilmen; including Earl Turner, Tyrone Bolden and Ken Johnson, to stand behind Representative Whalen’s appointment to the Ohio House of Representatives. She leaves a void in the community, but her work will last for years to come from a strongSoutheast Cleveland. Vermal had political juice and made sure we were together as a community,” said State Rep John Barnes Jr.

She was the loving mother of Yolanda Bayless of Cleveland and beloved great-aunt of Juanita Brent;. She was the dear aunt of Melody, Michael and Paula Brent. She was also survived by a host of other relatives. 

Viewing to be held Friday, March 22, 9 a.m. until 7 p.m., at Brown-Forward Funeral Homegoing services 17022 Chagrin Blvd., Shaker Hts, Ohio. Homegoing Services will be Saturday, March 23, Williams Temple, 6812 Woodland Avenue Cleveland, Ohio. The Wake will be held at 10 a.m., until 10:30 a.m. Services are at 10:30 a.m.