Edith McHale - Obituary

dith Blanche “Deedy” McHale, 95, a 50-year resident of Upper Marlboro, MD and previously of Garden Grove, CA, passed away on May 25, 2016 at her home. Born on November 16, 1920 in New York, NY to the late Max and Elsie Liebman, Deedy graduated from Hackensack College of Nursing in 1941. She enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a nurse in 1943 and, over the next 14 years, rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander with assignments at the Brooklyn, NY Navy Yard; the Cherry Point, NC and Pensicola, FL Naval Bases and a two-year assignment in Japan. In 1957, Deedy resigned from the Navy and devoted herself to being a wife and mother. Once her children were in school, she resumed her nursing career at Forest Haven Hospital in Laurel, MD. Deedy enjoyed art and had a great appreciation for animals and nature. She loved to garden and arrange flowers. She was a member and former president of the Hilltop Garden Club and was active in the local Art Club and Spanish Club. Aside from raising her family, Deedy’s proudest achievement was having owned a home by herself while living in San Diego, CA as a young, single woman. Deedy was preceded in death by her husband of 38 years, James J. McHale, who died in 1995 and her sister, Eleanor Pinner who died in 1967. She is survived by two sons, Kevin J. (Carol) McHale of Prince Frederick, MD and Stephen B. (Julie) McHale of Annapolis, MD; one daughter, Kasey L. McHale of Cape May, NJ; seven grandsons, Joseph (Helene), Vincent, Colin, Matthew, Bryan and Jake McHale and Alex Bender; two granddaughters, Emily (James) Pike and Meredith Bender and one great-granddaughter, Ella Pike. Friends are invited to celebrate Deedy’s life on Saturday, May 28, from 9:00 a.m. until her funeral service begins at 11:30 a.m. at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater, MD. Interment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton, MD. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hospice of the Chesapeake, 90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena, MD 21122. An online guestbook is available by accessing the link on this page.