We Remember Those We Have Lost – May 10, 2019

Shannon Maia Ross

MANHATTAN — Shannon Maia Ross, age 49, passed away suddenly on Thursday, April 25, 2019, at her home in Manhattan.

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Shannon Maia Ross

She was born in Las Vegas, Nev. on April 8, 1970 and her parents were Kaye Camille Byrd and Malcolm Ross Jr. She graduated from Stephen Decatur High School with the Class of 1988. She spent her early years near Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and later spent time in northeast Pennsylvania. Shannon eventually settled in the Bronx and Manhattan where she married Lorenzo Britton on Aug. 16, 2003.

Shannon worked in the health services industry for many years, enjoyed time with her family and friends and was always happy while relaxing near the ocean. She is survived by her daughter, Sophia Kristin Ross-Britton; her husband, Lorenzo Britton; her mother, Kaye Camille Byrd; her stepfather, Lloyd Byrd; her stepmother, JoAnne Merritt; her brother, Mark Ross; her sister-in-law, Selena Malott; her stepbrother, Jon Byrd; and her stepbrother, Stephen Byrd. She is predeceased by her father Malcolm Ross Jr. She has many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles.

As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be made in Shannon’s memory to Diakonia (https://diakoniaoc.org/), a local charity on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

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Arline Elizabeth Rainey Hamel

OCEAN CITY — Arline Elizabeth Rainey Hamel of Ocean City died May 3, 2019 at age 90.

She was born June 1, 1928 in Manchester, N.H. Her family moved to Ridgewood, N.J. when she was 6. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business from Regis College (Weston, Mass.), where she celebrated her 65th college reunion in 2014.

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Arline Elizabeth Rainey Hamel

Arline married George F. Hamel (an Army officer) in 1952 and started the first chapter of her married life as an Army wife in Northfield, Vt., where George was assigned to Norwich University. Their subsequent tours of duty were in Virginia, Kansas, Germany, Wisconsin and then back to Virginia. Arline and George retired to Ocean City in 2001.

Arline was a real estate broker in northern Virginia for 15 years. During her retirement, she was an active volunteer at Holy Savior Catholic Church in Ocean City, the Berlin Nursing Home and the Joseph House in Salisbury. Throughout her life, Arline was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Arline is survived by her seven children, Cynthia and Jay McManus of Arlington, Mass.; Janet Hamel and Jeff Hooke of Orono, Maine; George Jr. and Pamela of Sonoma, Calif.; James and Patrice of Williamsburg, Va.; William and Helen of Bryn Mawr, Pa.; Dr. Sally Dowling of Ocean City; and Molly Wilson of Berlin. She is also survived by her 22 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Arline was preceded in death by her beloved husband of over 60 years, George, who died in 2013; her sister Louise Janas; and her brothers Ernest and Jack Rainey.

Visitation will be at noon on Wednesday, May 15, at Holy Savior Catholic Church in Ocean City, followed by the funeral at 1 p.m. with Father Stanislao Esposito officiating. Friends are invited to join the family at a reception in the parish hall after the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Holy Savior Catholic Church, 1705 Philadelphia Ave., Ocean City, Md. 21842; to the Joseph House, P.O. Box 1755, Salisbury, Md. 21802; or to the charity of your choice. Burial at a later date will be at Arlington National Cemetery, where her husband is also buried. Letters of condolence may be sent via www.burbagefuneralhome.com

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John A. Whitehead

OCEAN PINES — John Arnold Whitehead, a life-long resident of Laurel until a recent move to Ocean Pines, died May 1, 2019 at home at the age of 91.

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John A. Whitehead

He was born in Laurel on June 18, 1927 on his parents’ farm and grew up with five siblings, Bill, Jim, Andy, Melvin and a beloved sister, Dorothy, in a home without electricity or running water. There was a Model A in the barn along with two horse buggies. Getting a radio was a major family event.

John helped on the farm, sweated on the B&O railroad and later worked for many years as a researcher for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He served in World War II, first as a civilian high school student running scrap drives on the home front, and then, after graduation, as a corporal in the U.S. Army serving in Germany and Austria. He became a life member of the American Legion, Post 60, of Laurel.

While overseas, John was exchanging letters with Rose Brown, the pretty sister-in-law of one of his army buddies, John Hofmann who had married Rose’s sister, Shirley). They got to know each other through this wartime correspondence, and, to quote John, he “knew that Rose was the girl for me.” They were married in 1949 at St. Mary’s Church in Laurel.

John was known for many things like making his own blackberry wine, growing vegetables and flowers in his gardens and always building something in his woodshop. He and Rose traveled the country, went on camping trips with their extended family and spent endless hours laughing around the card table with family and friends. One of the great joys of John’s life was hosting “music” in his basement every Saturday night for decades. John played the fiddle, his son Lenny was on the mandolin, and any friends and family with instruments and a taste for beer rounded out their weekly miniature bluegrass festivals.

John was quick to laugh, ready to help anyone who needed it, and had a kind word or amusing anecdote for any situation. He is survived and greatly missed by his wife of 70 years, Rose; his son, Lenny Whitehead and wife Patty; his daughter, Sandy Galloway and husband Doug; his grandchildren, Matthew Whitehead, Laura Arenella, Stephanie McAlister and Michael McAlister; and his great-granddaughters, Paige and Brynn Arenella and Reese McAlister Thompson; and his sister, Dorothy Hedrick and her husband Bill.

Visitation will be held at Donaldson’s Funeral Home at 313 Talbott Avenue, Laurel, Md. on Friday, May 10 from 2-4 p.m and from 6-8 p.m. A memorial mass will be held at St. Mary’s of the Mills Catholic Church at 114 St. Mary’s Place, Laurel, Md. on Monday, May 13 at 11:30 a.m.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made in his memory to Coastal Hospice, P.O. Box 1733, Salisbury, Md. 21802. Condolences may be sent by visiting www.donaldsonfuneralhomes.com.

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Catherine Carney DeChant

BERLIN — Catherine “Cathi” Carney DeChant, age 71, passed peacefully with her family by her side on Sunday, May 5, 2019 at her home in Berlin.

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Catherine Carney DeChant

Born in Washington DC, she was the daughter of the late William B. Carney and Gertrude Hill Carney. She is survived by her beloved husband, Michael DeChant Sr.; son, Michael DeChant Jr. (Emily Glaeser) of Rockville Md.; brothers Thomas Carney (Janet Copeland) of Coral Gables, Fla., Bill Carney (Mary Beth) of Poolesville, Md. and Michael Carney (Robin) of Sterling, Va.; sisters Maureen Knesel (Chuck) of Rockville Md. and Elaine Carney of Wheaton Md.; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brother, Patrick.

Catherine attended the University of Maryland. She was a partner with her husband in their family business, DeChant Appraisal & Realty Service LLC. She was also an aerobic dance instructor for the YMCA for nearly 20 years.

Catherine was a parishioner at Holy Savior Catholic Church in Ocean City where she was active in the choir, spending many hours volunteering her service. She also loved to sing, play golf and dance with her husband. Catherine was an avid fisherman bringing in the No. 1 wahoo in the White Marlin Open tournament in 2001.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Savior Catholic Church 1705 Philadelphia Avenue on Tuesday, May 14 at 11 a.m. Reverend Stanislao Esposito will officiate. Friends may call one hour prior to the service. Interment will be private for family members at a future date. In lieu of flowers, a donation in her memory may be made to Coastal Hospice, P.O. Box 1733, Salisbury, Md. 21804. Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com.

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Charlotte Sophia Teter

POCOMOKE — Charlotte Sophia Teter, age 66, of Pocomoke City died Friday, May 3, 2019 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. She was born in Salisbury and was the daughter of the late Cyrus E. and Sophia (Molnar) Teter.

Charlotte worked at NASA Wallops Flight Facility as a programmer-analyst and was a member, and very active her entire life, of Showell United Methodist Church where she taught Sunday school and was the church secretary and historian.

She is survived by two brothers, Howard Paul Teter of Vineland, N.J. and John E. Teter of Salisbury; two sisters, R. Fay McCabe of Selbyville and Louise Teter Marell of Lexington, S.C.; and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 11 at Bishop-Hastings Funeral Home in Selbyville with Pastor Joe Caine officiating. Friends may call an hour before the service. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in Berlin.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Showell United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 55, Showell, Md. 21862.

Condolences may be sent by visiting www.bishophastingsfh.com