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
Lynne Murphy says:
September 14, 2008
Hi Lori, I miss you very much. Our bible study group has started up again for the year and you are a presence that is missed, though your Presence is felt. Just thought I’d check in and ask for you to pray for our group this year … I love you and thank God for you in my life. Please tell Jesus I love Him very much and desire very much to get to know His Mother in the way that you know Her! Love you my friend, Lori! Lynne
Debbie Farinella says:
September 15, 2008
Hi sweet Angel~
You are forever in my heart. I miss your voice and our days of laughter. Wherever I am, there is always something where I feel your presence. School has started and it feels like we were just sending Erynn and Bela off as freshman….. now look at ’em…Big Time Seniors! Katy will be following right behind them! I know you are so proud of your family and how well Bill is keeping their lives consistent. We are so proud of him. I always told you, we all know why he is the love of your life. I know you are keeping an eye on all of us. I hope we are making you proud. You continue to be the light of our lives shining down on us from heaven. I’ll stay in touch in my own little “Debbie Doo Way”!
I love you “Chickie”
Debbie-Doo
Vince Salvatore says:
September 15, 2008
Lori, Thank you for being such a special friend to Anna, Bill, Tori, Alex and I. The girls built a small shrine under Padre Pio in our back yard for you. Your husband Bill continues to pave his way to sainthood and the girls are beautiful images of you. Much love always. Vince
BILL HALE says:
September 25, 2008
Well my Sweetheart Cookie, it’s very late on the 25th and your Birthday is this Sunday the 28th so I wanted to be first like always to wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY.You would have been a beautiful and forever young 48 years of age. It’s almost 17 months since you left us and went home to Heaven and joined the Angel Brigade.I’m sorry you’re not here in our life with me and the girls for many reasons, one of which is my continued effort to spoil you with a few special gifts. I saw a few new Yurman pieces you would have gone nuts over. This Sunday on your Birthday about 100 ++ of your Loyalists will walk in your honor and memory at the Avon Breast Cancer walk. Troy and Kim organized teams and we also have a large number of free agents joining us as well. I’m sure we’ll share a lot of smiles and laughs at your expense and needless to say we will also share some tears of joy and sadness. In one regard Lori Ann your death took so much of our hearts, souls, passions, purpose and meaning yet what you left us with grows in meaning and deeper spiritual and emotional significance each day. The memories and reflections so many of us have and cherish so fully helps us accept the blessings we had for so many years sharing our lives with you.The girls still struggle occasionally without having Mom and the centerpiece of their lives and often I see the pain and the question in their beautiful eyes and faces but they keep healing and walking through the grief and loss and get stronger each day. Naturally they would, they observed one of the most courageous battles of strenght and dignity I have ever witnessed or for that matter ever read about in my entire life.As you know, my life is the girls and I’m doing the best I can. Some days are a solid A and others maybe a C-. But just like you , I simply show up each day and do the best I can and try to follow the beautiful spiritual road you built for us. My sister Margaret recently joined you and I hope you’re showing her all the beautiful gardens and special places and sharing lots of laughs together.My life is very different and will be for many years to come and that’s OK, your whispers and symbols help me heal and move on each day.I’m fulfilling the promises I made to you and have about 3 big ones left which I know will make you smile and give you a sense of finality. This O’Connor site has been very therapeutic for me since last May of 2007 and we will turn off the site in the next few weeks and then my writings to you will be only in my thoughts. I still feel the vibrancy of your existence and I think it will remain with me until the last breath I take which makes me smile about so many conversations we shared since June of 1987. Lori Ann our beautiful and special daughters who I am so proud of miss you and love you and I do as well. HAPPY 48TH BIRTHDAY my sweet little COOKIE. And Yes, I visit you often and keep the things close to me which meant so much to you so that you will never feel alone.
BILL HALE says:
September 25, 2008
Well my Sweetheart Cookie, it’s very late on the 25th and your Birthday is this Sunday the 28th so I wanted to be first like always to wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY.You would have been a beautiful and forever young 48 years of age. It’s almost 17 months since you left us and went home to Heaven and joined the Angel Brigade.I’m sorry you’re not here in our life with me and the girls for many reasons, one of which is my continued effort to spoil you with a few special gifts. I saw a few new Yurman pieces you would have gone nuts over. This Sunday on your Birthday about 100 ++ of your Loyalists will walk in your honor and memory at the Avon Breast Cancer walk. Troy and Kim organized teams and we also have a large number of free agents joining us as well. I’m sure we’ll share a lot of smiles and laughs at your expense and needless to say we will also share some tears of joy and sadness. In one regard Lori Ann your death took so much of our hearts, souls, passions, purpose and meaning yet what you left us with grows in meaning and deeper spiritual and emotional significance each day. The memories and reflections so many of us have and cherish so fully helps us accept the blessings we had for so many years sharing our lives with you.The girls still struggle occasionally without having Mom and the centerpiece of their lives and often I see the pain and the question in their beautiful eyes and faces but they keep healing and walking through the grief and loss and get stronger each day. Naturally they would, they observed one of the most courageous battles of strenght and dignity I have ever witnessed or for that matter ever read about in my entire life.As you know, my life is the girls and I’m doing the best I can. Some days are a solid A and others maybe a C-. But just like you , I simply show up each day and do the best I can and try to follow the beautiful spiritual road you built for us. My sister Margaret recently joined you and I hope you’re showing her all the beautiful gardens and special places and sharing lots of laughs together.My life is very different and will be for many years to come and that’s OK, your whispers and symbols help me heal and move on each day.I’m fulfilling the promises I made to you and have about 3 big ones left which I know will make you smile and give you a sense of finality. This O’Connor site has been very therapeutic for me since last May of 2007 and we will turn off the site in the next few weeks and then my writings to you will be only in my thoughts. I still feel the vibrancy of your existence and I think it will remain with me until the last breath I take which makes me smile about so many conversations we shared since June of 1987. Lori Ann our beautiful and special daughters who I am so proud of miss you and love you and I do as well. HAPPY 48TH BIRTHDAY my sweet little COOKIE. And Yes, I visit you often and keep the things close to me which meant so much to you so that you will never feel alone.