Charlotte McClure Hemley of Scarsdale Passes Away at 96

Longtime Scarsdale resident Charlotte Hemley died June 21 two months before her 97th birthday.

Mrs. Hemley was born Aug. 29, 1919 in Huntington, Indiana to Clinton and Mildred McClure. She received a master's degree in library science at the University of Illinois, then traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii, where she was the children's librarian at Punahou School, the oldest private school west of the Rocky Mountains.

In 1948, she married Lt. Cmdr. Eugene Hemley, who was stationed at the U.S. Navy Submarine Base at Pearl Harbor. Returning to the naval base in New London, Connecticut, Mrs. Hemley began her Navy wife's career, moving 18 times from coast to coast, and to Yokosuka, Japan.

In Yokosuka, Mrs. Hemley became head librarian of the naval base library , where she developed a children's section and a full children's program. She was also chairman of volunteers for the American Red Cross and organized a bride's school for Japanese wives of American servicemen.

In 1970 when her husband retired from the U.S. Navy , Mrs. Hemley reentered civilian life in Scarsdale, where she became active in community service. She substituted in both Scarsdale and Eastchester school libraries, served on the board of the Fox Meadow PTA and was a representative to the PT Council.

Mrs. Hemley was a leader of a Girl Scout Troop for eight years, and served on the board of the Scarsdale Congregational Church Guild for many years.

At the Scarsdale Woman's Club, Mrs. Hemley was active in the garden section as membership chairman, and served as chairman of the literature section.

Mrs. Hemley earned her real estate license, and was an active sales person for 30 years. She loved traveling, gardening, books and literature and took a keen interest in education.

Her husband, a captain at the time of his retirement from the Navy, predeceased her on Veteran's Day in 2002.

Mrs. Hemley is survived by her son, Philip, born in New London, Connecticut and currently residing in Woodstock, New York; her son, Paul, born in Coronado, California, and now residing in Pennington, New Jersey; her daughter Anne Reel, born in Key West, Florida, and now residing in Cohasset, Massachusetts, with her husband Ross Reel; her daughter Margaret Marcus, born in Yokosuka, Japan, and now residing in Scarsdale, New York with her husband Neil Marcus.

Mrs. Hemley is also survived by eight grandchildren; Bodhie Hemley, Lauren and Scott Hemley, Charlotte and Max Reel, Elliot, Seth and Benny Marcus.

A memorial service will be held at Scarsdale Congregational Church on Saturday, September 10 and at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date, where she will be buried next to her husband.