Barbara Anne Dennis
WHALEYVILLE — Barbara Anne Dennis, age 82, of Whaleyville, died Saturday, May 7, 2016 at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin.
She was born in Whaleyville and was the daughter of the late Harry B. Davis Sr. and the late Violet F. (Holloway) Davis.
Barbara was a member of Whaleyville United Methodist Church and had taught Sunday School in her younger years. She had been president of the Whaleyville Homemakers, a former member of Worcester County Farm Bureau and was known as the “Lady In Red” in talent shows.
She is survived by two sons, William H. Dennis Jr. and wife Teresa of Pittsville and Walter V. Dennis of Hallwood, Va.; four daughters, Cindy L. Bratten of Berlin, Diane D. Hill and husband Edward of Powellville, Martha Jane Dennis of Salisbury and Charlene D. Shockley and husband Larry of Whaleyville; four grandchildren, Loni Sue MacKinnon, Travis W. Dennis, Matthew T. Shockley and Thomas J. Hill; two great grandchildren, Brantley N. Dennis and Jaxen R. Hill; and a nephew, H. Bryon Davis III.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William H. Dennis Sr. in 1997; a brother, Harry B. Davis Jr.; and a sister, Hilda V. Davis.
A funeral service was held Tuesday, May 10 at Bishop-Hastings Funeral Home in Selbyville with Pastor Houston Hill officiating. Burial was in Dale Cemetery in Whaleyville.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Stevenson United Methodist Church, Spirit Kitchen Fund, 123 North Main St., Berlin, Md. 21811.
Condolences may be sent by visiting www.bishophastingsfh.com.
Calvin C. Buettner Bitner
FINKSBURG — Calvin C. Buettner Bitner, 91, of Finksburg, passed away peacefully on May 8, 2016 at the Dove House in Westminster.
He was born on June 16, 1924 in Baltimore to the late Jacob Buettner and Julie (nee Ratchulte) Buettner. He was the husband of Robin L. (nee Churn) Bitner.
Cal was the owner and operator of the Full Moon Pub and Grill in Reisterstown. In his life, he got his start at Bitner’s on Fayette Street and continued with the Glenmore Tavern on Harford Road, the Taylor Pork Roll on the Boardwalk in Ocean City, Cal Bitner’s in Randallstown, Bitner’s Red Barn at South Hill Golf Course, Cal Bitner’s in Finksburg, Encore in Finksburg and a Cross Street Market property. Mr. Bitner was a US Army Staff Sgt. during WWII and served fpir years in the Philippines.
Mr. Bitner is survived by his wife, Robin L. Bitner; his son, Bruce David and wife Dawn Bitner of Harford County; his daughter, Cheryl and husband Dave W. Feilinger of Westminster; daughter, Karen Taylor and the late Charles Calvin Bitner; his sister, Marian Wockenfuss of Bel Air; and his grandchildren, Lindsey R. Bitner and Courtney K. and husband David J. Brust, III, Trista M. Moreland, Dakota M. Moreland and Ashleigh M. Feilinger.
Family will receive friends at the Eline Funeral Home, 11824 Reisterstown Road, Reisterstown, Md. on Saturday and Sunday (May 14 and 15) 3-5 and 7-9 p.m. Services will be held on Monday, May 16, 2016 at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment in Garrison Forest Veterans Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the Dove House, 292 Stoner Ave., Westminster, Md. 21157. For additional information visit www.ElineFuneralHome.com
Herbert John Schoellkopf, Jr.
BERLIN — Herbert John Schoellkopf, Jr., known to most as Herb, and also as “the Old Pro,” passed away peacefully of natural causes May 5, 2016 at age 95 surrounded by his family.
He was a loving and well-loved family man, a hardworking businessman with great creativity and imagination, a very patriotic veteran, and a playful man who loved athletics, music, tropical travel, scuba diving, humor, and dancing. Of his many sayings and mottos his standout advice to all was “work hard, play hard”. He was generous in many ways and was especially supportive of organizations that serve those with disabilities.
He was born in Camden, N.J. on May 4, 1921 to Herbert John, Sr. and Helen Sturr Schoellkopf. As a child, he lived through the depression, in which his family was hit very hard. He attended Camden High, where he was a track star who ran on the winning mile relay team in the Penn Relays in 1938 and 1939. He attended Guilford College as an undergraduate, interrupted by several years in the Army during WWII, where he served in the Pacific as an officer in a medical evacuation corps, served in New Guinea and the Philippines, and participated in the occupation of Japan. He was honorably discharged as a Captain, and returned to college where he earned many varsity letters including football, basketball, and track. He graduated in 1948 with a degree in Physical Education. Following that he received his Masters in Education with a minor in Business from the University of North Carolina, coached college athletics and taught for a couple of years, then moved back to South Jersey in 1950, where he began a career in family entertainment that lasted the rest of his life.
In this career, he built over 150 miniature golf courses and amusement centers, and gradually came to own and operate as many as 20 locations along the East Coast. He raised his family between Cherry Hill, N.J. and Ocean City, moving full time to Ocean City in the early 80’s. He is legendary in the history of miniature golf for developing fantastically imaginative and highly themed courses, with animated figures, and dynamic large scale features including waterfalls, pirate ships, dinosaurs, volcanoes, castles, temples, undersea worlds, and treehouse villages. He also pioneered the development of indoor themed courses. He was a big fan of Walt Disney, and he loved his concept of “Imagineering.”
By the early 80’s, he consolidated his business to the four Old Pro Golf locations in Ocean City that continue to be operated by his family and of which he remained active as president to his final day.
Herb was very blessed with two wonderful spouses in his life. He was predeceased by his first wife Aileen Belton “Deany” Schoellkopf, of Winston Salem, N.C., whom he met in college, married in 1950, and who passed away too soon in 1988 at the age of 60. He is survived by Judy Johnson Schoellkopf, his loving wife of the last 25 years. He was predeceased by his three siblings, Robert, Dorothy Gahm, and June Baldwin, who all lived into their 90s.
He is survived by his children, Jeff and his wife Beth, Rick, Nancy and her husband David Coats, and Scott and his partner Maria Cerrato, his daughter-in-law Rene Schoellkopf, Judy’s daughters Stephanie Johnson and her husband Alfredo, and Christy Crow and her husband Jeff, and grandchildren Carson, Brin and Aidan Schoellkopf of Warren, Vt., Celia and Roxana Coats of Raleigh, N.C., Sam, Luke and Lila of Berlin, Quincy Crow of Indianapolis, Ind., and Elson Schoellkopf of Ocean City.
The Schoellkopf family would like to thank all of the many doctors who cared for him over his adventurous and eventful life, and particularly the extremely caring staff at AGH during his last short time there on the day of his peaceful passing.
A memorial celebration will be held 4-7 p.m. on May 24 at Fager’s Island in Ocean City, following a private family burial in Mount Laurel, N.J.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations in his name to the AGH Foundation in Berlin the American Cancer Society, or the WWII Museum in New Orleans, La.
Letters of condolence may be sent to the family at www.burbagefuneralhome.com
Katherine Riedlbauer
FRANKFORD, Del. — Katherine Riedlbauer, 102, of Frankford, Del., passed away peacefully on Saturday April 23, 2016 at Atlantic Shores in Millsboro, Del. She was very happy there and loved by all.
Katherine (known by many as Mema) was born on Feb. 22, 1914 in Apatin Yugoslavia, daughter of Anna and Adam Payerle.
In 1943, she became a prisoner in a Russian Concentration Camp and escaped in 1945 and later moved to Austria Germany.
She came to America in 1949, with her daughter and lived in Parkville, Md. with her Aunt and Uncle.
Katherine worked at Lebow Bros clothing factory making men’s clothes until she retired.
Mama loved to bake and was famous for her German cookies and Specialty Tortes Cakes. She was dearly loved by all her family and friends.
She lived in Bell Air for many years and moved to Delaware with her daughter, Catherine Wills and son-in-law William Wills in 2009.
Mema started every day with her prayers, including special prayers for family and friends. She enjoyed being outside, and loved to walk around the pond in front of her house to get daily exercise.
She is survived by her daughter, Catherine Wills, and her husband, William Wills; her grandson, John Lhotsky; her granddaughter Cheryl; grandson John Lhotsky; and granddaughter Sandra and Tate Harman. She also was blessed to have six great-grandchildren, Shannon and Andrew Lhotsky, Christopher Garvin and Joseph, Katherine and Samantha Harman.
She donated her body to the Anatomy Board of Maryland.
A Memorial Mass for Katherine Riedlbauer will be on May 21 at St Luke’s Catholic Church in Ocean City to share fond memories and to celebrate her remarkable life.