The Oscar-winning Hollywood star George Clooney has been left devastated after the death of his older sister Adelia “Ada” Zeidler, who was his only sibling. Zeidler sadly passed away at the age of 65 after a battle with cancer.
Clooney Mourns His Sister
“My sister, Ada, was my hero,” Clooney, 64, told People Magazine. “She faced down cancer with courage and humor. I’ve never met anyone so brave. Amal and I will miss her terribly.”
At the time of her death, Zeidler was living in Augusta, Kentucky. Her official obituary states that she died “peacefully surrounded by the people she loved” at St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood, Kentucky.
Zeidler was born in Los Angeles on May 2, 1960. She was the oldest child of journalist and TV host Nick Clooney and writer Nina Bruce Warren.
“A talented artist, she shared her skills as an elementary art teacher at Augusta Independent School for several years,” her obituary reads. “In high school, her academic achievements qualified her to be a National Merit Scholar. Her love for reading connected her with other readers in a local book club. She was also a member of the Augusta Art Guild and was a past grand marshal of Augusta’s Annual White Christmas Parade.”
Both Zeidler and Clooney were raised in small town Kentucky. In 1987, Zeidler married Norman Zeidler, a retired army captain, in Augusta. Much of their small town came together to help out with the wedding.
“The whole town helped with the wedding,” Zeidler and Clooney’s mother Nina once recalled. “We couldn’t have gotten through it without them.”
During the ceremony, Clooney read scripture. He and Zeidler’s legendary aunt Rosemary Clooney of White Christmas fame also serenaded the newlyweds with a romantic song.
Zeidler Was Protective Of Clooney
Zeidler enjoyed a private, quiet life in Kentucky, rarely making public appearances. However, she did attend Clooney’s 2014 wedding to his wife Amal, 47.
Zeidler had previously joked that she was so protective of her younger brother that she didn’t even keep his phone number. Indeed, Zeidler was afraid of what would happen if the wrong person got ahold of her phone and discovered Clooney’s contact information.
“I wouldn’t want to have it in my phone and then lose my phone,” she said in 2012. “He can phone me, and he does occasionally, but email is more convenient for both of us.”
As for Clooney, he’s always been open about the bond he shared with Zeidler.
“My sister, I’m very close to,” Clooney said in 2015.
Ada was preceded in death by her beloved husband. He sadly died of a heart attack back in 2004.
“In addition to her parents, she leaves behind her beloved children, Nick Zeidler and Allison Zeidler Herolaga and her husband, Kenny; her brother, George Clooney and his wife, Amal; and several uncles, aunts, and cousins,” Zeidler’s obituary concludes.
Zeidler’s funeral is set to take place on Monday, December 22. Please join us in saying a prayer for all of Zeidler’s loved ones, including Clooney, as they grieve this loss.
Rest in peace, Adelia “Ada” Zeidler.