Sue Elaine (Hall) Vitale

Sue Elaine Hall Vitale passed away at 9:45 in the evening, March 10th, 2016, after 85 years of joyful living.  Known for her ever-present smile, gift of gab, and distinctive laugh, Sue was admired for her ability to make others feel at ease.  She had been hospitalized in recent weeks for kidney failure and pneumonia, and passed away following complications from abdominal surgery.

Sue was born on August 23rd, 1930 to Gladys (nee Pressler) and Foster Hall in Akron, Ohio. She was the youngest of three children, following her older brother, Warren, and older sister, Wannetah. As a child, she enjoyed tap dancing, playing the drums, and playing with her beloved pets, Thumper the rabbit and Oscar the mouse. Oscar proved to be quite the escape artist, to the perennial terror of her mother. Sue’s love of rabbits, mice and other woodland creatures would continue for the rest of her life.

Intelligent and vivacious, Sue attended Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan, where she majored in Chemistry. After graduation, Sue moved to Washington D.C. with her parents and enrolled at American University, where she majored in Sociology. To finance her studies, she worked as a research assistant at the American University Research Bureau by day and took classes by night - as many as 21 hours at a time. While taking a history class, she caught the eye of a young Air Force sergeant as she nodded off during a lecture and knocked her books off the desk. Ever the gentleman, Sgt. Bill Vitale gathered her books for her. Sue would always exclaim later when recounting her first impression that “he looked so dashing in his uniform!” Bill asked Sue to go out with him, and three months later she agreed to marry him. They were married on June 4, 1953, and made their home in nearby Arlington, Virginia.  Sue was then employed as a research analyst, first at the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters, and then at American Aviation Publications.

In 1960 Sue and Bill welcomed their only child and light of their life, Cindy. Sue dedicated her energies to caring for Cindy, and became a much-beloved figure in the neighborhood and community.  Mrs. Vitale’s cookie jar was always full, both for the neighborhood children and the cookie-loving Mr. Vitale. Upon Cindy’s matriculation at Georgia Tech, Sue returned to the workforce. This time she worked for American Medical Laboratories, where she worked as a purchasing specialist, making good use of what she called her “talking gene.”  She retired in 1992.

In 2009, Sue and Bill moved from their long time residence in Fairfax, Virginia to the newly constructed Ashby Ponds retirement community in Ashburn, Virginia. There Sue’s warmth and gift for conversation quickly gained her many friends, and eventually led her to help found a social club, “The Ladies Who Do Nothing.” Contrary to the name, “The Ladies” did have activities other than conversation, including making care packages for military personnel stationed overseas.

Sue saw the world change in 85 years, but she knew the important things never did. The beauty of nature, good food enjoyed with good people, long conversations and deep belly laughter; Sue enjoyed them all as often as possible.

Sue was preceded in death by her parents, Gladys and Foster Hall, and her brother, Warren Hall.  She is survived by her loving husband, Bill Vitale, as well as her daughter Cindy, son-in law Neal Lewis, grandchildren Amanda Lewis and Evan Lewis, sister Wannetah Pitz, nieces Karen Gauthier and husband Ray, Jane Wills and husband John, Dori Ely and husband Gregg, nephews Andy Pitz, Scott Pitz, Michael Hall, and Steve Hall and wife Li Meng, and other family and friends.  

A funeral mass will be held on Thursday, March 17, at 11:00 AM at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Ashburn, Virginia.  A reception at the church will follow. The burial will take place privately at the family cemetery in Pennsylvania. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Catholic Charities USA, P.O. Box 17066, Baltimore, MD, 1297-1066, www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.

“We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.” -Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

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