Carolyn Chaney - Obituary

arolyn C. “Beanie” Chaney, 66, a 28-year resident of Riva and previously of Hillcrest Heights, died March 27 at the Mandrin Inpatient Care Center in Harwood following a brief illness. Born on May 23, 1947 in Washington, DC to the late Ralph E. “Mike” and Florence H. Cushman, Carolyn graduated from LaReine High School in Suitland in 1965 and went on to receive a B.A. in Political Science and History from Allegheny College and an M.B.A. from Marymount University. Carolyn dedicated her entire career in Washington, DC to representing the interests of sixteen U.S. cities in seven states. She boasted an extremely loyal client base, some of whom she represented for over 30 years. Carolyn was a City Representative at the National Center for Municipal Development, the first, and for many years, the only organization providing federal advocacy and information services to local governments from throughout the United States. She also served as a lobbyist for both the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, specializing in the areas of community development and housing assistance. Later, Carolyn co-founded CapitalEdge (formerly known as Carolyn C. Chaney & Associates) where she served, until her retirement at the end of 2013, as a trusted liaison between her clients and Congress and the Executive Branch, providing advocacy assistance and strategic advice on issues ranging from transportation, public safety, human services and the environment. In recent years, Carolyn gained extensive experience in steering flood control projects through the Congress and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Carolyn was a loyal parishioner of Holy Family Catholic Church in Davidsonville where she was a former member of the parish’s Finance Committee and often served as its representative on the Pastoral Council. She was also a member of Women in Government Relations and the Women’s Transportation Seminar International. Carolyn was preceded in death by an aunt, Helen “Aunt Bobby” Halbig and a niece, Christine M. Novarra. She is survived by her husband of 40 years, Stanley Lee Chaney; her son, David Ricardo Lee Chaney of Riva; two brothers, Michael A. (Denise D.) Cushman of Mandeville, LA and David F. (Gloria R.) Cushman of Forest, VA; two sisters-in-law, Gladys Freeman of Prince Frederick and Peggy Stanton of Waldorf; an aunt, Lois Ernst of Kansas City, MO; and eight nieces and nephews, Michael J. Cushman, Gretchen A. North, Carrie L. Cushman, Topher T. Cushman, Heather C. Mason, Mike Dickerson, Bobby Kotlarsic and Steven Kotlarsic. Friends are invited to Carolyn’s Life Celebration from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 30 at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 31 at Holy Family Catholic Church, 826 West Central Avenue, Davidsonville. Interment will be at Lakemont Memorial Gardens. Donations may be made to the Hospice of the Chesapeake, 90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena, MD 21122.