Ellsworth Alfred "Al" Shade, 80, of 2505 W Chanticleer Road, Anaheim, CA, formerly of Bradford, passed away March 29, 2017 at the West Anaheim Health Care and Rehabilitation Center.
Al was born on January 15, 1937 in Union City, to the late Forest and Nettie E.(Proper) Shade. He graduated from Union City High School in 1954 and continued his education, where he received his medical training and Bachelor’s Degree from Carnegie College in Cleveland, OH, and his Master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University. Al was employed at Bradford hospital where he met and married Joanne Marie (Benedict) Shade, who survives. They celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary on February 13, 2017.
Al dedicated a large portion of his life in service to his country in various positions across the nation in the United States Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve. After enlisting in 1954, he finished Basic Training as an Infantryman at Fort Benning, GA in 1955. Several years later he attended Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. Throughout the years, as Al continued to pursue both military and civilian aspirations, he graduated from the US Army Command and General Staff College and the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. He proudly retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 42 years of selfless service to his Nation.
After many years of service at Bradford Hospital, Al relocated to Anaheim, CA where he established his own company, West Coast Associated Nuclear Medical Services, where, in addition to providing nuclear medicine care in multiple locations in Southern California, he also utilized his previous military training and federal credentials in Nuclear Physics and Radiation Safety. His work continued up to the day he became ill.
Al was a member of St. Justin Martyr Catholic Church in Anaheim and St Bernard’s Catholic Church in Bradford. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club, the Military Officers Association of American, and a proud fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus.
He is survived by his wife Joanne as well as two daughters: Diana (Neil) Kreydt of Treasure Lake, Julie (Mark) Hickey of Pittsburgh, four sons: Jeffrey (Janet) Shade of Bradford, Gregory (Amanda)
Shade of Lewisberry, Colonel Mark (Laura) Shade of Fort Jackson SC, and Scott (Lupe) Shade of Visalia, CA, 18 Grandchildren: Joe, Brenna and Trisha Kreydt; Ashley Shade Britton, Courtney and Morgan Shade; Alexa and Callie Shade; Steffan, Andre, Lauren, Zachary and Erin Shade; Jakob and Justin Hickey; Drew, Kiersten and Kalob Shade; as well as countless nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends.
Al was predeceased by his parents, two sisters: Helen Shade and Rose Curty, two brothers: Arlo C. Fields and Lester "Buck" Shade, and one grandson Nathaniel Shade.
Friends will be received on Thursday April 6, 2017, from 2-4pm and 6-8pm in the Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes Inc., 372 East Main St. where a prayer service will be held on Friday at 9:30am followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00am in St. Bernard Church, with Rev. Raymond Gramata, pastor as Celebrant. Full Military Honors and committal services will follow in St. Bernard Cemetery, where he will be buried next to his grandson Nathaniel Shade.
The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or a charity of the donor's choice.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.hollenbeckcahill.com