Louise H. McCabe, accomplished nurse
Louise H. McCabe, 92, of near Milton passed away peacefully at home in the presence of her family Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020. Born Jan. 28, 1927, at the family home on Chestnut Street, Milton, she was the daughter of the late Floyd and Adaline Davidson Hurley.
An outstanding student, she was valedictorian of the Milton High School class of 1944. With World War II then raging, she enlisted in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps immediately following her 18th birthday. Though her dream of a career as a Navy nurse and commissioned officer ended with the war’s completion, she continued her medical training at Delaware Hospital in Wilmington. Following graduation in 1948, she began her nursing career at Milford Memorial Hospital.
On July 15, 1950, she married the love of her life, Harold E. McCabe, in the sanctuary of Goshen Methodist Church in Milton. Following their marriage, the couple settled in Georgetown, where they lived for the first 37 years of their 69-plus years of marriage, raised a family, and made a lifetime of wonderful memories. That same year she began her long and rewarding service as a public health nurse with the State of Delaware. She was among the pioneering generation of nursing professionals who introduced the many new medical advancements of the post-war period to the general public. In addition to spending a portion of her career as a visiting nurse, where she brought much-needed care to the homes of those in need, she worked in clinics throughout Sussex County, and was a Certified Nurse Practitioner of Pediatric Medicine.
Following her retirement in 1988, Louise lived an active and enjoyable life with her husband at their “new” home near Milton, where they helped their children raise their own children and grandchildren. She was a founding member of the Georgetown Historical Society. An active member of Goshen Methodist Church in her youth, Louise joined Grace United Methodist Church in Georgetown following her marriage, and was a member of the Willing Strivers.
She is survived by her husband, Harold E. McCabe; sons and next-door neighbors C. Russell McCabe (Michele) and Joseph E. McCabe (Tammy); and daughter Melissa McCabe Shoultes (Gordon) of Seaford. She is also survived by five grandchildren, Kristin Whitley (A.J.), Josiah McCabe (Chrissy), Noah McCabe (Brittney), Coulter McCabe and Jenna Shoultes, as well as two great-grandchildren, Elijah and Briah McCabe; her goddaughter Ellen Pusey Bennett; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the many caregivers who have made this last chapter of her fantastic journey a bit easier.
Services will be private, with interment to follow at Union Cemetery in Georgetown. In lieu of flowers, they ask that you consider making a donation in her name to the hospice program of your choice.
Arrangements in the care of Short Funeral Services, Milton.
