Joseph Chase

Joseph Oscar Chase, affectionately known as “Bobby” to family and friends, peacefully passed away in his home in Bel Alton, Maryland on August 7, 2022.

Born on June 29, 1937 in Bel Alton, Maryland to the late James and Catherine (Smoot) Chase, Bobby was baptized at St. Ignatius in Chapel Point, Maryland where he remained a lifelong and active member.

Bobby received his education in the Charles County Public School system. On April 27, 1957, he was united in marriage to Eleanor Rose Hawkins and was the proud father of eight children.

Bobby worked as a mechanic at Hugh C. Gardiner, Incorporated in Faulkner, Maryland.  Although he could not officially start working until he was 18, around age 14 he would hang around the shop in order to learn the facets of the business as a mechanic. A hard worker and a dedicated employee, he remained with the business for over 60 years. Due to the pandemic, he officially retired in March 2020.

Bobby enjoyed family gatherings especially during the holidays. He loved cooking breakfast for the children and grandchildren. His specialty was country sausages (links), fried potatoes, eggs, bacon, homemade jelly and biscuits. He would leave the cleanup duty to Eleanor. When the children were growing up, he loved to spoil them all, especially at Christmas, each gift they had circled in the Sears catalog would be under the tree Christmas morning. He also loved entertaining guest and was always eager to share with them Eleanor’s delicious home cooked meals and some homemade wine or other spirits he would bring out on special occasions.

He enjoyed church events where he often be the first there and last to leave. You could count on him to be there to help set-up and clean-up. He liked to play the lottery and looked forward to trips to Atlantic City. Trips to Point Lookout State Park was also a family favorite during the summer. Even though Bobby could not dance, he enjoyed going to cabarets and would get a slow dance in with Eleanor.

Bobby was kind-hearted and loved feeding family, friends and even strangers with fresh vegetables and seafood. He was always willing to share and give to others and expected nothing in return. It was often joked that Bobby would give generous tips at restaurants, but Eleanor would take it off the table telling him, “he had too many children at home to feed”. However, future restaurant visits he made sure that Eleanor was out of the door first before he left a tip!

During the summer friends and family looked forward to gathering in the Chase’s yard as it was often the hot spot for cookouts, eating crabs and watching the 4th of July fireworks. It was a good time to be had by all filled with fun, laughter, music and dancing.

Bobby loved watching Judge Judy, the local news and most of all his favorite football team, the Washington Redskins (Commanders). He was a soft-spoken gentle giant with a heart of gold. Words cannot express how much he will be missed by all.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his brothers, Frances (Mac), James (Herbert), John (Alex), Eugene (Thomas), William (Bill), Stephen (Jack) and sister, Helen Bernadette Rosier.

Bobby leaves to cherish his memory, wife of 65 years Eleanor; children, Eugene, Dorothy (Gordon), Joseph (Cecelia), George (Janice), Deborah, Steven, Robert (Amy), LaTosha (Michael); grandchildren, Brandon (Toleisha), Kierra, Marquis, Cameron, Steven, Andrew, Christina, Troy, Angela, Antonio, Patrick, Toriann, Tamia, Denasia, Dwayne and Yuri; great-grandchildren, Brandon II, Berlin, Zion, Kasen, and Kylin; sisters, Katherine Johnson of Hampton, Virginia, Mary Brunner of Washington, DC and Virgie Gant of La Plata, Maryland; brother-in-law, John Hawkins; sisters-in-law, Largo Chase and Agnes Dorsey; special cousin, James Smooth and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joseph Chase, please visit our floral store.