CALE, Timothy Jerome – age 77, passed away Monday, October 6, 2020, in Fort Myers, Florida.
Tim Cale was born on January 21, 1943, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the second of five children to Jerome Elliott and Maxine Mary (Reis) Cale. Following the family’s move to Michigan in the mid-1950s, Tim graduated from Lowrey High School and later enlisted in the Navy where, as a gunner’s mate technician, he served aboard the USS Newport News, including deployment and an active role during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
He went on to start a family and, in the first of many successful entrepreneurial ventures, owned and operated Tim’s Pro Hardware in Dearborn Heights, which soon became the go-to hardware provider to the growing community. With his business thriving, Tim became an active member of the city’s Kiwanis Club and served as President of the Dearborn Heights Chamber of Commerce.
Tim enjoyed traveling and spent considerable time in Australia, among other places, finally relocating to Florida where he spent his retirement years. A highly focused, hardworking and creative man, he left a lasting impression on everyone he met.
He is survived by his children, Jeffrey Cale and Lori Stechow; four grandchildren, Julian, Alexa, Aidan, and Sophia Gabriel; his siblings, Karen Schauwecker, Jay (Kelly) Cale, Candice Cale, and Edward Cale; son-in-law, Dan Stechow; and ex-wife Judy Sheehan.
He will be buried with honors and laid to rest at the Florida National Cemetery in Sarasota. Graveside services will be held at that time.
Tim served on the USS Newport News ... here’s some of what we’ve learned about his time on board. (Thanks to my Uncle Marty ❤️)
On 11/9/62 the USS Newport News was ordered to inspect the Labinsk, the first of six Russian ships removing missiles from Cuba to insure that the cargo was, in fact, missiles and not decoys. Although Kennedy and Kruschev had an agreement, the shooting down of a U2 had reignited the tension. The long delays between our requests to uncover missiles and their responses was evidence that both ships were getting their orders from Moscow and Washington.
Hardly home a month, on 22 OCT the NEWPORT NEWS suddenly left Norfolk on short notice leaving part of her crew behind on leave, liberty, etc. That night the cruisermen listened to the President of the United States declare a Quarantine on the island of Cuba.
For the next month, acting as flagship for VADM Alfred G. Ward, new Commander SECOND FLEET, NEWPORT NEWS operated northeast of Cuba as a roaming backup for the Walnut Line. Later in the month, the Quarantine line was revised and NEWPORT NEWS took station #5 on the new Chestnut Line. Finally, the day before Thanksgiving the NEWPORT NEWS arrived in Norfolk after the President had declared the Quarantine successful and ordered the Quarantine line disbanded after the Soviet MRBM's were dismantled and removed from Cuba. She assisted in the missile count. The heavy cruiser remained in Norfolk until the first week in January.
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