Gaetana Birdsell

Gaetana "Ida" Birdsell, 83, of Crestview, Florida, formerly of Chester, Virginia, died on Monday, April 6, 2009 in Crestview, Florida. Mrs. Birdsell was married November 22, 1949 to John (Jack) Junior Birdsell in Yokohama, Japan. She was a military wife until LTC Birdsell's retirement in 1964. The family moved to Chester, Virginia in 1972 where Ida became active in church ministries at the Fort Lee Memorial Chapel where she was a member of The Catholic Women of the Chapel, and a member of St. Ann Catholic Church in Colonial Heights where she was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America. Mrs. Birdsell was preceded in death by her husband, Jack. Mrs. Birdsell is survived by: her daughters, Marietta Hope Birdsell (LTC USA, ret.) and husband William Branch (COL USA, ret.), of Crestview, FL, and Regina Marie Birdsell and husband Mark Skelly of Hampstead, NH; one sister, Ann Nitkey, of Batavia, IL; and numerous nieces and nephews. A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 11am at St. Ann Catholic Church, 17111 Jefferson Davis Highway, Colonial Heights with Fr. Lou Ruoff as celebrant. The family will receive friends Thursday morning from 9:30-10:45 am at the church prior to Mass. The burial will be Friday, April 17, 2009 at Quantico National Cemetery, Triangle, Virginia at 1:00pm. Arrangements by the Colonial Heights Chapel of the E. Alvin Small Funeral Home & Crematory, 2033 Boulevard. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Covenant Hospice, 370 West Redstone Ave., Crestview, FL 32536.