Harriet Delcenie "Del" Cahal

Harriet Delcenie “Del” Cahal, 86 of Hawesville, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Monday, September 30, 2019 at tle home of her daughter and son-in-law, Janet and Randy Estes in Hawesville after a long battle with kidney disease.  She was born January 18, 1932 in Hardinsburg, KY to the late James and Mary Ann McClellen.

Del married Eugene Cahal on Christmas Eve, 1951 at the home of Bro. Meadors Hawesville, Kentucky.  She was member of Hawesville Baptist Church where she served many years on the kitchen committee. She worked at General Electric for nearly 20 years. While working there, she made many lifelong friends at work and on the ferry ride from Hawesville to Cannelton.

Anyone that knew her rarely ever called her by name. She was affectionately known as “Granny Del.”  To know her, was to love her.  She enjoyed going to flea markets with friends, spending time with her family, going to Goldie’s to hear her grandson sing, farming, spoiling her grandkids, shopping at Goodwill and yard sales, UK basketball, gardening, growing flowers, cooking, her church,  listening to her police scanner to keep her neighbors up on all the county’s happenings, and Hancock County Hornet football and band. 

When her grandson played for the Hornets, she would have the entire football team at her house before each home game and feed them so they had plenty of energy to win. No one had more school spirit or Hornet pride than granny Del.

She was a silent hero in the community. Always doing for others and leading her family by example.  Families that were struck with illness, disadvantage, or house fires were first on her list to offer aid. If a local family was in need, she was sure to step in and make sure they did not go without.  She always did so expecting no praise or recognition.

She was preceded in death by her husband Gene, siblings Damon McClellen, Dorothy Smiley, Johnny McClellen, and parents Mary Ann and James McClellen.

Survivors include her daughter Janet (Randy) Estes; Barbie Mathews; grandchildren Travis (Tara) Estes; Jeremy (Aimee) Estes;  Austin (Anna) Gorman; Brenna Gorman (grand-dog Gypsy); great-grandchildren Baylee and Kannon Estes; sisters, Eva Mae Dewitt, Linda Nash, Shirley Robbins, Louise Stilwell, Vallery Powers (Ray), Sylvia Priest (Sammy) ; brothers, Ander McCellen (Elouise),  MacArthur  McCellen, along with several nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at 11AM Thursday, October 3, 2019 at Hawesville Baptist Church, with burial following in Serenity Hills Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4PM to 8PM on Wednesday and from 9AM until service time on Thursday. All visitation will be at Hawesville Baptist Church.  The family request that all donations be made to Western Kentucky Hospice. 

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