Helen McCale

Helen McCale, 87, of Moberly, passed away Friday, February 14, 2025. She was born, February 10, 1938, to the union of Edgar and Louise (Middaugh) Burke in Clinton, Mo.Helen was born February 10, 1938 to Edgar Louis and A. Louise (Middaugh) Burke in the farm house in rural Clinton, Missouri.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Donald L. Burke of Danville, IL.Helen is survived by her husband of 67 years, Robert (Bob) E. McCale, of Moberly, Mo. Married on August 10, 1957.Daughter, Janet Gregory and Dr. Dennis Gregory of Clark, Mo.Grandson, Thomas Braxton (Tommy) Bragg, wife, Jillian Bragg and Great-Granddaughter, Morgan McDonald of Cairo, Mo.Granddaughter, Rachel Marie Bragg and Fiancé, Clestin Hohlt of Columbia, Mo. Son, Steven E. McCale and Desiree McCale of Manheim, PA.Granddaughters, Samantha (Andrew) Nieves and Great-Granddaughter, Laine Nieves of Manheim PA. Alexandria (Miles) Crosman of Los Angeles, CA. Charlotte McCale and Veronica (Ronnie) McCale of Manheim, PA.Brother and Sister-in-Law, Jack and Beth McCale of Overland Park, KS, Sister-in-Laws, Jeanne Burke of Clermont, FL. And Linda Erp of Danville, IL.Nephews: Ron Burke of Oak Park, IL and Jason and Melissa McCale of Liberty, MO.,Niece, Donna and Tony Coleman of Minneola, FL.Cousins and many other relatives that have always been an intricate part of Helen's life, but are too numerous to list. Special mentions are Mary Fran, Martha, Cla and Tommy. Many friends and extended family that will forever be intertwined in Helen's life story. Special mentions are Matthew Bragg and all of the Bragg family, Dawn Cross, Denny and Tina Brelsford, the Cairo Christian Church family, Lorannah, Rose, Angle's Landing and Lantern's Point groups, Johnny, Myrna and Gene, Sue, Margaret, Shirley and Ilene in Salisbury, and so many others.
Helen left us on February 14, 2025, at 87 years old, after her third onset of lymphoma. It was a very aggressive cancer, and although she, and her caregivers fought to keep her with us, it ravaged her body until she lost the battle within a few short weeks.
Helen was born and raised on a dairy farm, and graduated from Holden High School. She moved to Kansas City, after graduation, to pursue her dream of singing and find a job, that wasn't farming. The singing career didn't work out, but she eventually found another path and the love of her life. No one ever saw Helen without Bob. Theirrelationship was such a rare example of the meaning of to love, honor and cherish, through sickness and health, to death do us part.
Over her lifetime, she has worked many jobs and excelled at them all; a keypunch operator, a bank teller, worked for MRMC, various other companies as a bookkeeper and/or receptionist, a Sunday School teacher, and the hardest job of all, being a great Mom. They moved to Salisbury, MO, and raised their daughter and son. She was a member of the Salisbury First Baptist Church. Helen and Bob owned and operated McCale's Sewing Center of Salisbury and Moberly, for many years. After relocating a few times, they settled in Cairo, MO, where she has been a long time member of the Jacksonville/Cairo Unity Christian Church.
Helen loved to paint, read all different kinds of books but especially her daily Bible reading, sew, visit with friends, cook, play card games, watch MU basketball and the Chiefs. Supporting and loving her grandkids, no matter what their choices, was very important to her. Growing up on a farm, she loved her pets, and continued that love throughout her life. She was a meticulous bookkeeper, and loved the challenge of keeping up with financial trends. She was very distraught over political games and how it is hurting so many people. Helen was so thankful for the blessing of Dennis, her son-in-law, who became a son to her. She cherished him so much and was heartbroken over his diagnosis of Parkinson's. She felt strongly a cure would soon be found, and that is why she wanted the Memorial to go to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's.
She loved her family and friends, unconditionally, and she always put everyone else's needs above her own.
From: Rachel and Tommy
To us, she was always Grandma Helen. Not Helen McCale, but Grandma Helen. That name carries a perfect ring to it. It embodies who she was as a person: A perfect grandmother in every sense of the word. She was the definition of what a true Christian should be. She was someone you could see God in clearly. Even in her last days, she expressed how thankful she was to have so much spirit and love in her life and thanked God for everything she had. Upon her passing as we all listened to "How Great Thou Art" together, you could feel God personally come and get her. If anyone ever had a ticket to heaven based off of faith alone, it was her. She was the most humble person you may ever meet. No one was more important to her than the next person she knew. She loved her family fiercely and would go to no ends to do anything for them. She was an incredibly talented seamstress. The times she repaired or tailored our clothing or helped make us a Halloween costume cannot be counted. And even though we watched her burn a brisket to a crisp, she did leave us with the best "no-bake" cookie recipe to ever exist. They are made every year at Christmas and we will continue to bake them until the end of time. They are delicious! Grandma Helen will live in our hearts forever. And she will live in the hearts of everyone that knew her. While her passing is very sad and we will miss her every day, we know that she is in a place where she belongs. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. And no one deserved the path to heaven more than Grandma Helen. We will always love you and we will see you again someday.
Love
Rachel and Tommy
Mom,
Thanks for loving us, Unconditionally. Forever in our hearts-Forever loved-Forever missed-Every. Single. Day. Flowers are greatly appreciated, (no plants please) however, in lieu of flowers, Memorials in Memory of Helen can be made to The American Cancer Society or to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Disease.
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Words of comfort and support may be shared with the family at a visitation to be held Sunday, February 23, 2025, 1 pm – 3 pm, at the Cater Funeral Home Chapel, to be followed by services honoring and celebrating Helen's life at 3 pm. Private inurnment will take place at Oakland Cemetery at a later date.