Edward Paul McCabe

Edward Paul "Ned" McCabe, 66, passed away on Sunday, March 26, 2023, at his home in Portsmouth, Virginia. He was born on August 24, 1956, in Rockford, Illinois to Shirley Marie (Lascara) McCabe, of Norfolk, Virginia and John Michael McCabe (Rockford).

Ned went to St. Bernadette's grade school and Boylan Central Catholic High School. He will be remembered by many for his teasing, mischievous nature - if something was amiss at home, in the neighborhood, or at school, Ned most likely had a hand in it.

Ned majored in history and secondary education at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa; he graduated in 1978 and taught social sciences and coached at Nativity School after graduation, where he was much loved by his students. In 1982, Ned moved to Portsmouth, Virginia, the area his mother hailed from, where he was very welcomed by all of his Lascara family.

In 1998, he suffered a heart attack, which meant early retirement. As reported by Bill Leffler in the Virginian Pilot (February 7, 2016) that heart attack made "Portsmouth a much better city", as Ned channeled all of his energy into establishing and developing Portsmouth Reads, a community-based literacy program for adults and children.

Ned also served as chair and mentor for the Ida Barbour Early Learning Center, as a board member of the Boys and Girls Club, as the Portsmouth History Commission's chairman, on the Portsmouth School Board and the School Foundation Board, and was President of the Portsmouth Sports Club. In addition to his lasting contributions to his community, Ned was surrounded by a circle of dear friends, whom he loved to meet up with at the Twisted Pig in Portsmouth. He was also an avid Green Bay Packer fan.

Ned is survived by his mother, Shirley McCabe (Chesapeake, Virginia); his brother John McCabe (East Lansing, Michigan); and sisters Anne McCabe (Madrid, Spain) and Mary Ellen Farrar (Indialantic, Florida); his uncle Vincent Lascara (Portsmouth); as well as nieces, nephews and cousins.

There will be a memorial service honoring Ned's life from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 8, at Foster Funeral Home, 1926 High St., Portsmouth. Ned will be interred at St. Mary's/St. James Cemetery in Rockford, Illinois at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 27. Donations in his memory may be made to Portsmouth Reads, 2200 Piedmont Ave, Portsmouth 23704, or to PortsmouthSchoolsFoundation.org. Condolences may be registered at BWFosterFuneralHome.com.