Elizabeth Katherine DeCesare

YORKTOWN - Elizabeth Katherine 'Omah' DeCesare, died peacefully in her daughter's home on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2005, surrounded by people who loved her. Born April 11, 1928, in Fayetteville, N.C., Liz grew up and spent most of her life in Edgewood, Md. She moved to Virginia in 2002 to be near her family. She fought a long and determined battle against kidney disease. Liz was preceded in death by her grandson, Michael Craver Shirley. She is survived by her husband of 41 years, Ralph Edward DeCesare; her daughters, Elizabeth Shirley and her husband, Lee, of Yorktown and Capitola Glica and her husband, Ed, of Holyoke, Mass.; her sister, Margaret Dougherty of Lavale, Md.; her brother, Andrew Lucot of Edgewood, Md. and her grandchildren, Michele Shirley and her husband, Dan Woytanis, Robert Shirley and his wife, Candi, all of Yorktown, and Scott Paquette and his wife, Nancy, of Holyoke, Mass. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Katie and Julia Paquette, Robbie and Beth Shirley, Caity Woytanis and her special little friend and great-grandchild, Emily Woytanis. For the past 15 months, since Liz's illness kept her homebound, she and Emily spent almost every day in each other's company and she brought much joy to Liz's life. She is also survived by her dog, Odie, who meant so much to her. Special thank you to June Sines who helped care for Liz and held a very special place in her heart. The family will receive friends from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, at Peninsula Funeral Home. Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Friends of the Homeless, 1600 25th, Newport News, VA 23607 or the Animal Aid Society, 8 Butler Farm Road, Hampton, VA 23666.