Obituary: Wade G. Shehady Sr. / Dealer in exotic carpets since 1947

Obituary: Wade G. Shehady Sr. / Dealer in exotic carpets since 1947: "Obituary: Wade G. Shehady Sr. / Dealer in exotic carpets since 1947
Owned Shehady's Oriental Rugs in Aspinwall
Tuesday, April 12, 2005

By Dan Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Wade G. Shehady Sr., a local dealer of exotic rugs for 58 years, died Sunday at UPMC St. Margaret near Aspinwall. He was 77.

The owner of Shehady's Oriental Rugs in Aspinwall, Mr. Shehady collected tribal carpets from Turkey and the Caucasus Mountains, treating each as a piece of art that could be learned from. He knew so much about the rugs that when he saw a new one, all he needed was 30 seconds to identify the region where it originated and its age, according to his son, Wade Jr., who now runs the store his father and grandfather began in 1947.

Mr. Shehady demonstrated his knowledge once by placing and dating a rug from a block away, as it protruded from the end of a station wagon.

"That was how good his eye is," Wade Jr. said.

Mr. Shehady grew up in Jamestown, N.Y., and New Castle with 11 brothers and sisters. His father and mother owned a rug cleaning business near the University of Pittsburgh, and in 1947, Mr. Shehady and his father went into business together selling and restoring rugs. It was Mr. Shehady who looked for the exotic Oriental rugs and touted them to customers, landing the late Sen. John Heinz as an early buyer.

"He had such a love for these old rugs," his son said.

Wade Jr., now 57, took over the family business in 1990, but his father kept returning to the store, sometimes in a walker, close to the time of his death.

"It was his love," Wade Jr. said.

In addition to his son, Mr. Shehady is survived by his wife, Bessie; six children, Marilyn Nemchick, Pamela Smith, Janet Knight, Kim Volzer, Bessie Shehady and Philip Shehady; sisters Adele Gallade, Katherine Barcellino and Evelyn Ceransky; brothers Charles, Frederick, Thomas and Richard; 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Visitors will be received today from 1 to 9 p.m. at Savolskis-Wasik-Glenn Funeral Home, 3501 Main St., Munhall. The funeral is private.

(Dan Fitzpatrick can be reached at dfitzpatrick@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1752.)"