Charles E. McHale Jr.

Charles Edmund McHale, Jr. died on May 18, 2015 surrounded by loved ones at his home. He was 89 years of age, and the beloved husband of Betty Woodward McHale for 62 years. Charles was the son of the late Charles Edmund McHale, Sr. and the late Mrs. Lillian Berniard McHale. He is survived by his four daughters: Ginger McHale Tobey of Westport, CT; Cindy McHale Starling (Philip) of Hopkinsville, KY; Lisa McHale Creed (Curtis) of Baton Rouge, LA; and Willow Hale of Los Angeles, CA. He was grandfather to nine: Caroline Tobey, Charlie Starling, Peter Starling, Elizabeth Starling, Margot Starling, Camille Creed, Elise Creed, Charles Creed, and John Curtis Creed, Jr. Charles also has four great-grandchildren.

Born and raised in New Orleans, Charlie received a B.S. from Tulane University in geology. He received two law degrees, one from the University of Texas, Austin, and a second from Loyola University of New Orleans. He practiced law in New Orleans for 64 years until his very last days. He was admitted to practice in United States district courts and the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2012 he was chosen to help revise the tax sales statutes for the State of Louisiana. He was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Louisiana Land Title Association.

In 1968, he held the position of vice president of the Urban League of Greater New Orleans and announced the mayoral campaign of Ernest ”Dutch” Morial in 1977. He was named “Churchman of the Year” by the Greater New Orleans Council of Churches in 1978. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the New Orleans Bar Association.

Charles dedicated himself to service in the United Methodist Church in New Orleans. He was chairman of the board and founding legal counsel of Methodist Hospital New Orleans, and general counsel from1965-1990. He also served as chairman of the board of the Methodist Home Hospital. He served as a legal advisor to numerous Methodist institutions and churches in the New Orleans District. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and served as a lay leader for the First United Methodist Church, and as Chairman of the administrative board of Carrollton Methodist Church. He was devoted to Rayne Memorial United Methodist church and to his friends in the Wilderness Sunday School class.

He received the Outstanding Service Award from the New Orleans YMCA, and was an active board member of the Salvation Army. He served as Board Chairman for the Southern Eye Bank and received the organization’s Distinguished Service award. Charlie was one of the founders of the Audubon Tennis Club in 1948 and was the club singles and mixed doubles champion for several years.

He was a member of The Tulane Associates and on the Board of Directors of Tulane Summer Lyric Theatre. Charlie loved anything Tulane and attended many games in all sports. Charlie was an avid bridge player and Life Master several times over. He read a book of bridge strategy every night. If Charlie were not planning a trip to France, he was reminiscing about recent travels with Betty and family. He loved French food, wine, history, and language. He delighted in practicing his French. A regular at Frank “Blackie” Campo’s and later Breton Sound Marina, Charlie was catching redfish and speckled trout until he was almost 90 years old. Funeral services and visitation will be held at Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church on Friday, May 22. Visitation will begin at 11:00 a.m. and funeral services at 12:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church, 3900 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 70115. Arrangements entrusted to Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home.