Celebrating the life of Elva (Beth) McDougal Casabona
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Obituary for Elva (Beth) McDougal Casabona
Elva (Beth) McDougal Casabona passed away on March 7, 2012 at the age of 94. Beth , and her twin brother Elwyn, were born on February 8, 1918 to Walter and Fran Ann (Hendricks) Marek, in Oconto. She attended St. Joseph Catholic School and graduated from Oconto High School in 1935. In 1939, she received her RN degree from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Oshkosh. Beth worked from 1939-1949 as a surgical nurse at Mercy Hospital. She married Vernon McDougal on June 18, 1949. They lived in Racine and Kenosha before settling in Oconto in 1952. Her son, Jay, was born in 1950 and her daughter, Kathy, was born in 1954. Beth started working at Oconto Hospital in 1956. In 1968, she was made Supervisor of 2nd floor and in 1970, she became the Director of Nurses. Beth’s husband, Vernon, died in 1977. She married Al Casabona in 1984 and retired so that they could spend winters in the south. Al died in 1989. Beth was a member of Holy Trinity Parish, the Ladies Hospital Auxiliary, the American Legion Auxiliary, and the Oconto County Historical Society. She enjoyed tennis (beating her son handedly at the age of 60), golf, Packer games, cards, and Bingo at Country House. She felt her biggest accomplishment (besides her family) was a hole-in-one at the age of 72, and being voted Nurse of the Year by the alumni association of Mercy Medical School of Nursing in 1976. Beth is survived by her son Phillip Jay of Suamico, her daughter Kathy of Oconto, her grandchildren Shannon (Steve) Schilawski of Oconto and Chad (Susan) McDougal of Sobieski, her great grandchildren Danielle Schilawski, Aidan, Ian, and Bailey McDougal, sisters-in-law Lu Marek, Lucille McDougal, Eileen McDougal, many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her parents-in-law Duncan & Minnie McDougal, her twin brother Elwyn, a sister Phyllis (& Jim) Sylvester, and in-laws Tom McDougal, Jeanne (& Chuck) Finger, and Bob McDougal. The family will receive relatives and friends at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 716 Madison St., Oconto, on Saturday, March 10, 2012 from 9 to 11 AM. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 AM Saturday at the church with the Rev. Bob Karuhn officiating. Burial will be at the Oconto Catholic Cemetery. The Gallagher Funeral Home, Oconto, is assisting the family. Online condolences may be expressed at www.gallagherfuneralhome.net In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Beth’s favorite charities: the Arthritis Association, the American Cancer Society, the Oconto Hospital Citizen’s Foundation, or Holy Trinity Parish. Thank you to the staffs at Country House, Bellin Hospital, Woodland Village of Oconto, Dr. Maltinski, and Community Memorial Hospital for your kind and gentle care of Beth. You were the best. We’ll forever love you and miss you!
