Sept.
11, 1925 - Nov. 29, 2008SOUTH BEND - Marion (Corinne) Hamilton Wales, RN, MS, CNS, passed away peacefully at home on November 29, 2008 in Rancho Mirage, California. Born on September 11, 1925 in Schenectady, New York, she was the daughter of the late Edith Marion Snyder Hamilton and Edward Arden Hamilton. She married Michael Collins Wales of Troy, New York, on June 30, 1953. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, daughter and friend, she is survived by her husband of 55 years; three children, Kathrene Wales of Chicago, Illinois, Beth Wales and fiancé Bill Kelly of Clifton Park, New York, and Michael Collins Wales II and wife Courtney Wales of La Quinta, California; four grandchildren, Michael Barrett Swartz, John Marshall Swartz, Madeline Cate Wales and Caroline Grace Wales; brothers, Edward Hamilton and Richard Hamilton; three sister-in-laws, Althea Hamilton, Caroline Wales and Gerlinde Wales; four nieces, Linda Geiger, Carol Robinson, Karen Wales and Katharine Wales; five nephews, Edward Hamilton, Jr., Michael Wales, John Wales, Bill Wales and David Wales; and, caregiver, Evangelina Perez. She was preceded in death by her mother; mother-in-law, Rena Collins Wales; and, two brother-in-laws, Arthur P. Wales and David C. Wales. Growing up in West Sand Lake, New York, Mrs. Wales graduated from Emma Willard School in Troy, New York, in the Class of '43 and from the New York Medical College Flower and Fifth Avenue Hospitals School of Nursing in 1946. From 1943 to 1946, she was a member of the United States Nurse Cadet Corps. She received her B.S. in Nursing from Columbia University in 1952 and served as a Staff Nurse at Leonard Hospital and Flower-Fifth Avenue Hospital and as an Assistant Head Nurse at Cornell Medical Center. A registered professional nurse in New York, Indiana and California, she attained her first M.S. in Educational-Counseling & Guidance from Indiana University (1983) and her Master of Science in Nursing from Loma Linda University (1991). Throughout her career, she thrived in her multifaceted role as counselor, nurse and teacher, working as a Clinical Professor and Psychiatric Nurse at Samaritan School of Nursing, St. Mary's College at Notre Dame, Indiana University, Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in South Bend, Indiana and the College of the Desert. She retired in 2004 as an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Loma Linda University's School of Nursing where she taught Community Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing. Professional affiliations included the American Association for Counseling & Development, American Association of University Women, American Mental Health Counselors Association, American Nurses Association & ANA, National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors, National League for Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and the Society for Education and Research in Psychiatric, Mental Health Nursing. Always striving to make a difference, she was a dedicated community volunteer and philanthropist for the Camp Fire Girls of America, Christ Child Society, Notre Dame Library Association and Tri Kappa Sorority. A gifted artist and prolific watercolorist, she was an active member of the Cultural Arts Advisory Board of Memorial Hospital, South Bend Museum of Art, Snite Museum of Art, St. Joe Valley Watercolor Society (past President) and the Women's Art League (past President). A brief visitation and funeral Mass are scheduled for Friday, December 5, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Palm Desert, California, at 2 p.m. Rev. John F. McHenry, SVD, and Monsignor Donald J. Gorski will be the Concelebrants. Pallbearers will include Willis Brunsell, Joseph Celello, Hugh Dismuke, Doug Hassett, Chad Johnson, Michael C. Wales II. Graveside services will take place on Tuesday, December 16, at 10 a.m. with interment following at Arlington National Cemetery in Fort Myer, Virginia. A devout Catholic and adult convert in 1953, donations in lieu of flowers may be given in memory of Mrs. Michael C. Wales to Sacred Heart Church and Catholic School, 43-775 Deep Canyon Road, Palm Desert, CA 92260.