Michael Sheldon Cahall, 62, of Lexington Park, MD, formerly of Annapolis, MD, passed away on November 18, 2021 in Koh Samui, Thailand.
He was born on Christmas Eve, 1958 to the late Richard Sewell Cahall and Mary Lorna Borsodi Cahall at the Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, MD. He grew up in Beltsville and Annapolis, and attended High Point Senior High School where he began his lifelong love affair with music, and graduated in 1978.
Michael attended the University of Maryland and the Peabody Conservatory of Music before completing his degree in music performance at West Virginia State University in 1983. Throughout his life, Michael would continue to pursue music, playing violin, viola, lap steel, guitar, and piano, as well as vocal performance. Pursuing his love of music led Michael to playing violin in the orchestra for the Young Victorian Theater Company, and, later, the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra. He eventually stepped out of the put to sing in the chorus for “Young Vic” in several of their productions.
After college Michael went into business for himself as an appliance repair technician. From there he networked his way into a job with the National Weather Service working in data management. After several years with NWS, Michael moved to work for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, becoming the director of the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program, coordinating fisheries data for the east coast of the United States. He held that position until his retirement in 2019.
In July of 2005, Michael joined the Lexington Park Volunteer Rescue Squad, holding many offices during his time there, including vice president, supply officer, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, deputy chief, and ALS deputy chief. At the time of his death, Michael was serving as chief of the department. He also served the St. Mary’s Advanced Life Support Unit as president and was an active paramedic in the volunteer service in St. Mary’s County. He was also in the first group of volunteer paramedics to help stand up the COVID-19 vaccination clinics in partnership with the St. Mary’s County Health Department.
Michael was an active participant in the local arts in Southern Maryland, playing in a sting quartet for many events and weddings, and performing regularly at the Three Notch Theatre in Lexington Park, MD. He served on the Board of the Newtowne Players, and was treasurer at the time of his death. Michael’s stage performance credits include “Young Frankenstein”, “Bye Bye Birdie”, and “A Night on Broadway”, and his pit performances included “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” and “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown”, though many times he pulled double duty, both performing on stage and in the pit for several shows.
A passionate technophile, Michael collected vintage turntables and sound systems. He loved tinkering with his Galaxy 500 convertible, which he called “Lucy” (she’s big, loud, and red, just like Lucille Ball’s famous character). Together with his husband, Michael also worked with the Dachshund Rescue of North America, fostering dozens of dogs and serving as forever home for many elderly, hard-to-place wiener dogs. Most recently, he fell in love with a blue Juliana pig named Hamlet and took in the needy Poppy Pig. He was also an avid and gifted sailor, having captained his Bristol sailboat “Too Tuna” to victory in the Good Old Boat Regatta.
Part of Michael’s drive to make the world a better place involved him discerning a call to the deaconate. He began that journey at the Church of the Ascension in Lexington Park, MD and followed that path through to ordination as a deacon of the Episcopal Church at the National Cathedral in November 2020 by the Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of Washington. After his internship, where he served several parishes, Michael was assigned to All Faith Church in Mechanicsville, MD.
In 2005, Michael entered into a registered domestic partnership with Shawn Davidson, and they married legally at the Church of the Ascension in Lexington Park, MD on New Year’s Eve, 2013. During their time together, they built a chosen family that included becoming legal custodians of Blair Phillips, now of Winchester, VA, and Marcus Whalen, of Lexington Park, MD, and expanded to include many other filiations over the years. Particularly special to Michael were the relationships he was able to build with Kimberly Moore of Lexington Park, MD and T. Grant Kelly of Sioux Falls, SD.
Michael loved to travel, enjoyed live music, and Broadway performances. He smiled a lot, worked hard, and loved fiercely. His passion for humanity led him into a life of service.
In addition to his children, husband and mother, Michael is survived by his sister, Lisa Cahall Swisher of Bend, OR, his brother R. Sean Cahall of San Diego, CA, his nephews Amadeus and Everest Swisher, both of Bend, OR, his in-laws, Kim and Patricia Davidson, and David and Shari Arends of Lexington Park, MD, Zachary and Megan Arends of Waldorf, MD, Tyler Arends of Fort Leonard Wood, MO, and Caleb Arends of Lexington Park, MD, as well as three grandchildren.
The family will receive friends on Friday, December 3, 2021 from 12:00-1:00 PM at the Bay District Volunteer Fire Department Hall, Lexington Park, MD, where a funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM with Right Reverend Mariann Budde officiating, and Reverend Greg Syler, Rector and Reverend Debbie Kirk, Rector co-officiating. Interment will follow in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, MD. Serving as pallbearers will be Zoran Trahmod, Duane Cooper, Jeff Maher, Andrew Koch, Ralph Stotler, and Stacey Oosterink. Honorary pallbearers will be Officers and Members of Lexington Park VRS and Officers and Members of St. Mary’s Advanced Life Support Unit.
Contributions may be made to the Lexington Park Vol. Rescue Squad (www.lpvrs.org), Londontowne Symphony Orchestra (www.lso-music.org), and Newtowne Players (www.newtowneplayers.org).
Condolences may be made to the family at www.mgfh.com. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A. & Crematory, Leonardtown, MD.
