Lori Ann Hale
September 28, 1960 - May 10, 2007
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Lori Ann Hale
September 28, 1960 - May 10, 2007
Obituary
Lori Ann Caruso Hale, born on September 28, 1960, died peacefully at her home on Thursday, May 10, 2007, surrounded by her family and loved ones. Lori had battled breast and thyroid cancer since 1998. Recently the cancer spread into Lori’s lungs and quickly into her brain. Lori wanted to make sure to express a special thanks to her caregiver buddies over the last several years; Dr. Dave Okun, Dr. Nora Evans, Phyllis Martin, and her City of Hope pals Dr. Steve Forman and Barb Stehr. All of them helped make her life better and longer.
Lori was born in New York and moved to California at a young age. Later in life she became a very successful cosmetologist in Hollywood and Los Angeles before pursuing a career helping hundreds of people with alcoholism, cocaine addiction, and severe mental health problems. One of her daily goals was to make someone else’s life better in whatever way possible and there are legions of people who will confirm she was successful. Lori was an active member of St. Kilian’s Catholic Parish in Mission Viejo and enjoyed her involvement with the Pastoral Council, her friends Father Jim and Scotty, and all her Bible study and weekly Rosary pals. Lori made two pilgrimages to Lourdes, France, with the Knights of Malta, one as a Malade and the next year as a volunteer.
Her family was her life and her life was her family. She enjoyed a wonderful relationship with her sister Jackie. Her other sister, Karen, was Lori’s constant nursing buddy during some of her toughest medical challenges, including the Hospice care she received at home. She had a special relationship with her father Ed and mom Ruth. Her nephews Shay, Ryan, and Josh made her giggle constantly. Her lifetime friend Patti had a special place in her heart and soul that is beyond description. Her pals Anna, Karen McCartney, Linda Muhonen, La La Gretchen, and Kristen The Tornado always made her feel special and loved the way friends are supposed to in good times and bad. Lori also had parent and teacher friends and supporters too numerous to name individually at Serra Catholic School and Santa Margarita Catholic High School.
Lori and Bill were married in June 1990 and had two beautiful daughters, Erynn, 15, and Katy, 11. Her Girls, as she often referred to them, became Lori’s passion, joy and meaning in life. She taught them fashion, grooming, homework shortcuts, cooking, laughing, the importance of friendships, and the value of faith and a strong belief in God. Lori loved Erynn and Katy at a level and depth that only mothers understand. Their smiles and laughter often made Lori’s entire day happy and worthwhile in spite of her constant battles with cancer. Her 17-year marriage to Bill was filled with fun and the joy of raising two strong-willed children and overcoming hundreds of different challenges while sharing the intimacy and friendship you hope to experience once during a lifetime.
Lori will be missed in so many ways by so many people, but mostly by her daughters Erynn and Katy. They are fortunate she has left them with her spirit and strength and we know she will be whispering in their ears daily, helping guide them through a beautiful life. Lori Hale, the Mother, Daughter, Sister, Friend, and Wife, is difficult to describe. If we took a beautiful sunset in a vibrantly colored garden, added a beautiful piece of art, music, and the poem of a lifetime, and then threw in the spirit and graciousness of an Angel, we might be close to describing the person we will all miss who has just joined God’s inner circle. P.S. Good-bye Cookie, I have loved you from the first day I saw you.
Open casket visitation with family and friends will be from 7:00 to 8:30 pm and a prayer vigil at 8:30 pm the evening of Thursday, May 17, followed by a funeral Mass at 10:30 am on Friday, May 18. Both will take place at St. Kilian’s Catholic Church in Mission Viejo. Burial will follow at Ascension Cemetery in Lake Forest. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Lori’s memory to Susan G. Komen for the Cure 3191 A Airport Loop Drive, Costa Mesa CA. 92629.
120 responses to Lori Ann Hale
BILL HALE says:
January 6, 2008
Good Morning Lori Ann and Happy New Year. I’ve started our annual planning for schedules and trips and all the major events and things we would have done together in 2008. It’s a painful lonely process but I’m O K, simply miss having all those things to look forward to and share together. The trip to NY and the holidays in general was fun and a little tough, but we made it through in pretty good shape. I did everything possible to make it a real Christmas for the kids and gathered help from about 25 friends and also tried to continue my tradition of spoiling them. A lot of people visit your gravesite and talk about you occasionally, but as we know, you are slowly becoming a beautiful wonderful memory and reflection for everyone but me and the kids, your sisters and parents. We still feel your spirit, energy, touch, feel and vibrancy inside our hearts and souls 24/7. It’s a New Year and we always had new goals, this year I’m a little slow getting them defined but I’ll get to it this week. I can feel some of my old energy coming back and I know this is your way of pushing me forward into the future versus hanging onto you and our past. I know you want me to be happy and enjoy life so I’ll keep trying each day. I love you Lori and I miss you, the kids seem to be OK most days, They go back to school tomorrow and the crazy schedule, they miss you terribly and love you very deeply. I sure hope Mom’s who become Angels are able to continue to feel the love of their children because its very special and very strong. It’s 8 months this week since you died of that horrible disease. I wear my pink hat all the time in honor of you and other breast cancer victims. We miss you and Love you Lori, I’m gald you are at peace and pain free. Keep guiding me and the kids, we hear you and are trying to lead the life you would want for us and make you proud. HAPPY NEW YEAR COOKIE, I hear your whispers and feel your spirit pushing me forward, like always, you’re trying to take care of me and love me even in death which is what Angels do for those they leave behind.
Deborah Farinella says:
January 7, 2008
Hi there, sweet Angel above. It’s 2008 and I cannot believe you left us 8 months ago. I feel your presence often and think of you everyday. At Christmas, every picture of Angels I saw and every image of Our Blessed Mother brought joyous thoughts of you. I spoke of you throughout the holidays, rememebering how much fun we had getting our traditions in order. I miss you everyday, and love you as always.
Debbie doo
Debbie Farinella says:
May 10, 2008
It’s been a year already….and you are missed still, so very much. You would have joined us in on the laughs this afternoon as we all looked through your photos…. wedding, births and everyday fun with family and friends. The hairstyles and the outfits drew the most chuckles. You would be so proud of Bill and the girls. They planned the day today just as you would have.
I think of you, sweet girl, everyday, and find myself sometimes laughing outloud when I think of the times we had. Those are the things that bring me comfort.
You are missed every single day.
Debbie-doo
BILL HALE says:
May 12, 2008
HI LORI ANN and Happy Happy Mothers Day. Saturday we had an Open House celebrating you and your life and the first year anniversary of you dying and going home to God. The house was filled with lots of laughter and Country Western music and all of our loving friends and lots and lots of children which I know made you smile and giggle a whole bunch. I pulled out the oldest photos of us that I could find and people couldn’t believe how little your beautiful skin, face and addictive smile had changed in 20 ++ years, naturally they were less complimentary about me. We had a ton of laughs, the beautiful home you created was filled with the warmth and joy that always made you so happy. Erynn and Katy were wonderful hostesses and Erynn’s room was the highlight of the day, she’s redone it and one entire wall are photos of our lives and its a wonderful tribute to Erynn’s creativity and her incredible Mom. Katy entertained at least 10 of her buddies, also, I know you are aware of this because we could feel your presence at Katy school play Saturday night, she was remarkably calm and stole the show. The confidence and strenght you’ve taught her through the years was on display and everyone noticed. We stopped by your gravesite yesterday and it was a quiet reflective visit, I could feel you reaching out to us and missing us as much as we miss you. Our lives are moving forward and you are slowly becoming a gracious beautiful memory in most peoples eyes, for me and the girls we feel you and live with you daily and still laugh with you about so many things, I’m so proud of our daughters Lori, they are wonderful kids and embody so much of your beauty and spirit. I think they’ll be OK and have a good life and will cherish you forever and forever. For me, well, you know about me, I love your gentle whispers, nudges and signs. I see them, feel them and hear them and will continue to move forward as we agreed, some days are harder than others but I will fulfill the promises we made to each other. Cookie, I loved you the first day I saw you and will love you until the day I die, Thank You for making my life happy and filled with your joy and your love, and yes, I know, your special things filled with your touch, your spirit and your special memories remain close to me so you’ll never be alone. I love you Lori Ann.
BILL HALE says:
August 17, 2008
HI LORI ANN, Sunday morning and the grief gremlins have joined me and the pain is very deep. I still find comfort and relief sharing my words and feelings with you like we did for so many years about so many things. Our daughters have had an insane summer, Erynn with her trip to London for 3 weeks and her 5 day school retreat and Katy with lots of social stuff and summer school and her little volunteer job at the dress boutique and lots of sleepovers and sleep ins.I’m on duty for both of them 24/7 and they take full advantage of that and all I can do is smile. We leave for vacation Wed and I think that’s what prompted the feelings at 4 am this morning. I have so many wonderful memories and feelings about spending time with you and the kids and simply being a family and it hurts knowing that is gone forever the same as you are. Its going on 16 months since you died here at our home,we haven’t changed much and it still has your feel and spirit throughout each room. I can tell it provides the kids a lot of comfort and security, also, your closet seems to be shrinking and the girls closets seem to be growing. I know you are proud of them and watch them each day, Lori they are such beautiful young ladies and you did such a wonderful job raising them and being the best Mom I’ve ever seen. I pray as the kids get older they fully understand the strenght and courage you had fighting and battling for so many years to be here for them and to love them, nurture them and care for them. Our lives in one regard are very similar and in so many other ways completely different. The constant in each day is the fact that our hearts and minds and souls are filled with your love and your spirit and precious memories of a Mom and wife and BFF. All of our friends often talk about you and check in all the time, they’ve been very visible and supportive for the kids and me. Also our Catholic community has been remarkable,they have cared for all of us in very special ways. The kids serve Mass today, its so special seeing them do it together, I know that was one of your hopes and I’m sure you’re smiling when you see them on the altar.I miss you Lori Ann and love you deeply, your daughters seem to get stronger and more beautiful and mature each day and our healing seems to be occurring the way the books and grief people say it should, but I’m quite sure the scar of our loss of the most precious and beautiful person ever in our lives will never disappear. I understand your subtle signs and encouragement and we’ll continue to move forward as you’d want but its hard not having you with us.We love you and miss you and laugh with you daily, the memories are so special and we share a lot of giggles with all the kids friends and their parents who also miss your beautiful spirit. I’ll stop by and see you before we leave for Maui and your special place and make sure your headstone is cleaned with Fiji water and we share a Hazelnut Latte. I love you Lori and Thank You for the life we shared and will share until I see you again.