Josephine P. McCabe, a retired Maryland Public Television secretary who was an avid sports fan, died of ocular melanoma March 19 at Stella Maris Hospice in Timonium. She was 87.

The daughter of Joseph Piecentini, a coal miner, and Mary Piecentini, a hospital worker, the former Josephine Frances Piecentini was born and raised in Benton, Ill.

She graduated in 1946 from Benton High School, where she played trombone in the marching band.

While attending secretarial school in St. Louis in the late 1940s, she worked for Ralston Purina Co.

She moved to Timonium, then later to Owings Mills, where she raised her four daughters. She was active in the Reisterstown Jaycees and the Carroll United Methodist Church, Grace United Methodist Church and Mays Chapel United Methodist Church. She was a member of Sigma Phi Sorority and the Baltimore Tall Club.

Ms. McCabe worked as a secretary for Baltimore County courts, then for Maryland Public Television. She retired in the 1990s.

She enjoyed swimming, puzzles, word searches and crossword puzzles and was a Ravens and Orioles fan.

Ms. McCabe left her body to the Maryland Anatomy Board. A memorial service for Ms. McCabe will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Mays Chapel United Methodist Church, 11911 Jenifer Road, Timonium.

She is survived by her four daughters, Fran McCabe of Pikesville, Karen McCabe Capece of Hampstead, Mary Jo McCabe and Sharon McCabe Welsch, both of Bel Air; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

— Frederick N. Rasmussen