Virginia Lee Duncan Catale

Virginia Lee Duncan Catale passed away peacefully on the 26th of March 2025, surrounded by her loving family. Virginia was born and raised in Ellwood City, PA on May 29th, 1931. She loved living in and around Ellwood City and some of her favorite memories are growing up on the Duncan Family Farm. While attending Lincoln High School she met her future husband, John C. Catale. At the age of 21, on October 18, 1952, they got married in their hometown. John was in the U.S. Air Force, and they were stationed in Presque Isle, Maine. In October of 1953, they welcomed their first daughter, Sharon. They first came to the Washington, DC area when John was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base.

There, Virginia worked at a car dealership while pregnant with her second daughter. Unfortunately, Connie Lee was stillborn and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. They were again relocated and stationed at the Air Force Base in Chatteroux, France. The three years they lived in this local town were some of Virginia’s most cherished memories. Virginia had her second daughter, Diane, in May of 1960 while in France. Their last assignment was at Bolling Air Force Base in Maryland.

They settled in Woodbridge, VA and raised their family there for the next 40 years. She was the best homemaker, gardener, baker, seamstress, nurse, painter/artist, cook and bottle washer a family could ask for. When Diane was in elementary school, Virginia began volunteering in the school library and that started an almost 30-year career of working in school libraries, supporting her love of books and learning. They were very active with the local Rod and Gun Clubs, forming a close circle of friends and attending many events. They traveled often and entertained a revolving door of family members during the Summer at their home in Woodbridge with a beautiful in-ground pool, and ushered family and friends to see all the sights in the Washington DC area. Their house was called “Catale’s Hotel.”

Virginia relocated to Maryland, in 2003, to live with her daughter Diane after John passed away. During this time she enjoyed gardening, caring for the household pets and making new friendships. She continued to be a doting grandmother to her 3 grandchildren who she watched grow into successful adults who found loving partners. She welcomed 4 great grandchildren who brought her a tremendous amount of joy. Engaging with them and making them feel like the center of attention was a special gift she possessed. Being the social butterfly, she was a member of the Red Hat Society, the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and the Chesapeake Christian Fellowship Church. She volunteered at a Calvert County Library to support her love of books.

In more recent years she enjoyed a glass of wine and her audio books with her cat snuggly curled on her lap. Virginia was preceded in death by her parents (Theodore and Margaret Duncan), husband (John), brother (Samuel Duncan), and daughters (Connie and Sharon Michel). She is survived by her daughter Diane Dixon, sister Marilyn Wymer (Edward “Buster” Wymer), and son-in-law John Michel (Sharon’s husband). She has 3 grandchildren, Lisa Elcano (Justin), John Silor (Jeanette), and Bernadette Slee (Eric). Her latest joys were her 4 great-grandchildren Henry Elcano, Annabel Elcano, Nolan Slee, and Savannah Slee.