ANN W. (BARRETT) MCHALE

ANN W. (BARRETT) MCHALE – of Woburn, died peacefully, September 13th, 2026, at the age of 95. Beloved wife of the late Charles P. McHale. Devoted mother of Ann Marie Hartung, her husband James, of Chelmsford, and the late James F. “Jimmy” McHale, his wife Dianne (Martin) McHale, of Woburn. Loving grandmother of Stephanie, Matthew, Lauren, Sean, Andrew, and cherished great-grandmother of Aiden and Jacob. Dear sister of Marie Hojlo, her husband Paul, of Wilmington, and the late Martin Barrett. She is also lovingly survived by many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends. All services are private and are under the direction of the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made in Ann’s memory to the Cervivor organization or the Neurofibromatosis (NF) Network.

ANN W. (BARRETT) MCHALE, of Woburn, passed away peacefully on September 13th, 2026, at the remarkable age of 95.

Born and raised in Boston, Ann was the cherished daughter of the late Martin J. and Celia (Cunningham) Barrett, both Irish immigrants. Proud of her Irish roots, Ann carried with her throughout her life a strong sense of family, faith, and tradition.

Ann was a woman of strength, spirit, and deep devotion to the people she loved. She was the beloved wife of the late Charles P. McHale, with whom she built a beautiful life centered around family, faith, friendship, and many wonderful adventures along the way.

In their younger years, Ann and Charles had the wonderful opportunity to travel extensively through Charles’s work, often bringing their young family along with them. Their travels took them throughout Europe and gave the family experiences and memories that would last a lifetime. They even lived for a time in Galway, Ireland, a particularly meaningful chapter for Ann given her proud Irish heritage and her parents’ roots in Ireland.

Family was always at the heart of Ann’s life. She was immensely proud of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and there was little that brought her greater happiness than simply being surrounded by those she loved. Her family will remember a woman who was feisty, strong, and loving—someone who knew her own mind, embraced life on her own terms, and loved her family wholeheartedly. The loss of her son, Jimmy, was a tremendous sorrow, but Ann’s strength, faith, and love for her family remained steadfast throughout her life.

Ann also knew how to enjoy herself. She loved playing mahjong and was a skilled bocce player. Later in life, she proved that age was certainly no reason to stop trying something new. Ann learned to golf while in her 80s and absolutely loved it. She was also an avid New England sports fan and enjoyed cheering on her favorite teams.

For a time, Ann made her home in Naples, Florida, where she built a wonderful circle of friends. Whether around a mahjong table, on a bocce court, out golfing, or simply enjoying good company and conversation, Ann had a way of forming friendships and making the most of wherever life brought her.

Throughout her 95 years, Ann’s Catholic faith remained an important and steady part of her life. It guided her through life’s joys and its difficult days and was a source of comfort and strength to her.

Along with the many places she traveled and the experiences she collected, Ann’s greatest legacy will always be the family she leaves behind and the love she gave them. Ninety-five years brought many chapters, many changes, and countless memories, and Ann met them all with the same strength and unmistakable spirit that made her so special.

Along with her late husband, Charles, Ann was predeceased by her beloved son, James F. “Jimmy” McHale, and her brother, Martin Barrett. She is survived and will be deeply missed by her devoted daughter, Ann Marie Hartung, her husband James, of Chelmsford; her daughter-in-law, Dianne (Martin) McHale, of Woburn; her loving grandchildren, Stephanie, Matthew, Lauren, Sean, and Andrew; and her cherished great-grandchildren, Aiden and Jacob. Dear sister of Marie Hojlo, her husband Paul, of Wilmington. Ann is also lovingly survived by many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends.

All services are private and are under the direction of the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made in Ann’s memory to Cervivor or the Neurofibromatosis (NF) Network.

All services are private and are under the direction of the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made in Ann’s memory to the Cervivor organization or the Neurofibromatosis (NF) Network.