Obituary of Catherine Theresa Heald

Catherine "Cass" Heald (nee McCabe) 98, of Atlantic City passed on to her heavenly reward on March 21, 2018 after a long battle with Alzheimer's. Oldest of seven children born to parents James A. and Catherine V. (nee Cooney) McCabe on December 4, 1921. Cass attended Our Lady Star of the Sea Grammar School and Holy Spirit High School Class of "39". Cass worked various jobs throughout her life. In 1944 she met and married Ensign Howard E. Heald while working at the Navel Air Station (now the Atlantic City Airport). They had 54 devoted years together before Howards's death in May of 1998. Cass loved the Atlantic City seashore spending many summer days on the Chelsea Avenue beach with family and best friends Peg Smith and Lucille Mooney. Her faith was the center of her life and attended daily Mass and received Holy Communion as often as she could. She was active in her parish community as a member of the Altar and Rosary Society, the Couples Club, PTA, Boardwalk Car Raffle and as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist bringing Communion to patients in the hospital and those who were homebound. (A more expanded list of Cass's community involvement and family members past and remaining may be read in her obituary in the Press of Atlantic City Saturday and Sunday editions.) Cass is survived by her sons Howard J,. Heald, William Heald and Christopher Heald all of Atlantic City; daughter Mary (Mike) Chialastri of Galloway; grandchildren Elizabeth, Michael (Courtney), Christine, Jim, Joe (Ana), Michele (Mike), and Brian; great-grandchildren, Sean, Joe, Brian, Nicholas, Michael, Kira, Ryan, Amber, Alyssa, Jonah, Amelia, Charlotte, and Benjamin; great-great granddaughter Hadley; sisters Jane Dwyer of Freehold, NJ, Nancy Hanstine of Warwick, RI, and Elizabeth Freund of Absecon, NJ; brother William (Agnes) McCabe of Margate, NJ, sisters-in-law Florence Heald of Kalispell, MT and Helen Heald of Clifton, CO, and a host of nieces and nephews that she so dearly loved. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated for Catherine Theresa Heald 10am Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church 2651 Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City. There will be a viewing Monday evening from 6:00PM until 8:00PM at the Gormley Funeral Home LLC 2706 Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City and again Tuesday morning Tuesday morning in church before Mass. The Rite of Committal will be offered at Holy Cross Cemetery, Route 40, Mays Landing following Mass. In lieu of flowers, please donate in memory of Cass to: Our Lady Star of the Sea Regional School, 15 North California Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401 or Birthright International, 777 Coxwell Avenue, Toronto, ON M4C3C6, Canada. Catherine's family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the management, staff, and residents of Spring Village of Galloway, and to Grace Hospice for the love, compassion, and care she received.