Archive for November, 2011

BESSIE DEMESTIHAS

Bessie fell asleep in the Lord on November 4, 2011. She was born January 21, 1921 in Washington, DC. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 61 years, Peter Demestihas. She had two children, Nick and Bill; and two grandchildren, Nicole and Joshua. She was an exceptional violinist and played in several orchestras and toured the country giving concerts with an all woman orchestra during WWII. She is remembered for the love she showed to her family, her kindness and her generosity. She was always thankful to God for her many blessings. Relatives and friends may call at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard, West, Silver Spring, MD, (Valet Parking), Thursday, 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral Service at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 36th St. & Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, DC on Friday, November 11, 2011 at 11 a.m. Interment Fort Lincoln Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Greek Orthodox Mission of Salem, PO Box 3623, Salem, OR 97302. May her memory be eternal.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

MARY MILLER BECKER (Age 87)

On Monday, November 7, 2011, of Silver Spring, MD. Beloved wife of the late William F. Becker; mother of William F.X. (Dee) Becker and Mary Margaret (Clyde) Munster; grandmother of Ben and Chris Munster. Relatives and friends may call at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard, West, Silver Spring, MD, (Valet Parking), Friday, 3 to 5 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. John the Evangelist Historic Church, 9700 Rosensteel Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, on Saturday, November 12, at 11 AM. Interment St. John’s Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to S.O.M.E., 71 O Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 or St. John the Evangelist School Endowment, 10201 Woodland Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20902.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

VERNA V. PHIBBS

On Friday, November 4, 2011, of Takoma Park, MD. Beloved wife of the late Thomas B. Phibbs, Jr.; mother of Howard and Milton Phibbs; sister of Milton Steenson. Relatives and friends may call at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard, West, Silver Spring, MD, Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 12 to 1 p.m. where service will be held at 1 p.m. Interment Fort Lincoln Cemetery.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

JOSEPH DAVID O’LEARY

On Sunday, November 6, 2011 of Silver Spring, MD. Beloved husband of Theresa A. O’Leary and the late Jeanne O’Leary; father of Michael O’Leary, Mary Moore, Daniel O’Leary, Patricia Cage, Kathleen McLynn, Gerald McLynn, Patricia Culpepper and the late Michael McLynn; grandfather of Kathleen, Kelley, Jonathan, Joseph O’Leary, Shannon Reed, Amanda Speaks, Adam Cage and Isaac Hullinger; great-grandfather of Ellis Reed and Lydia Speaks. Relatives and friends may call at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard West, Silver Spring, MD (Valet Parking), Wednesday, from 7 to 9 p.m. and Thursday, November 10 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Resurrection at Riderwood, 3160 Gracefield Road, Silver Spring, MD with Service of Christian Burial at 12 noon. Interment Gate of Heaven Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Montgomery Hospice, 1355 Piccard Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

BLAKE PATRICK MURPHY

On Thursday, October 27, 2011 of Silver Spring, MD. Beloved son of Dorothy Anne and John B. Murphy; brother of Kerry Ann Murphy; longtime companion of Stephanie Smilay. Funeral services are private.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

PATRICIA A. HESSLER (Age 79)

On Sunday, November 6, 2011, of Dover, DE formerly of Greenbelt, MD. Beloved mother of Rosanne Christo, Susan Hessler, Carol Harford, Steven Hessler, Michael Hessler, Paul Hessler and Janet Archer. Also survived by 11 grandchildren and three great-granddaughters. Relatives and friends may call at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard, West, Silver Spring, MD, (Valet Parking), Thursday, 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Andrew Apostle Church, Arcola Ave and Kemp Mill Rd, Silver Spring, MD, on Friday, November 11, at 11 a.m. Interment Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Kent County SPCA, 32 Shelter Circle, Camden, DE 19934.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

GRACE SPALLUTO BRIDEAU (Age 89)

On Saturday, November 5, 2011, of Rockville, MD. Beloved wife of the late Donald J. Brideau, Capt. USN (Ret.); mother of Donald J. Brideau, Jr., M.D. (wife, Terry) and Carol Ann Brideau; sister of Kay Nunno, and the late Fran Bimonte and Angelo Spalluto; grandmother of Matthew, David, Michael and Jackie Brideau. Also survived by other loving family and friends. Relatives and friends may call at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard, West, Silver Spring, MD, (Valet Parking), Thursday, November 10, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial at Shrine of St. Jude, 12701 Veirs Mill Road, Rockville, MD, on Friday, November 11, 2011 at 11 a.m. Interment Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

DOROTHY L. PICKERAL

On Thursday, November 03, 2011, of Silver Spring, MD. Beloved wife of the late George R, Pickeral; mother of Jim E. (Gayle) and the late Robert C. (Mary) Pickeral. Grandmother of Jeannine Fesler, Linda Cox, Cynthia Pickeral and Holleen O’Connel and seven great-grandchildren. Dorothy was a lead secretary for the OSS during WWII until the OSS became the CIA and moved to Langley, VA. Following the OSS she managed George R. Pickeral plumbing and heating business in Wheaton, MD for 50 years. Dorothy enjoyed cruising and fishing the Chesapeake Bay on their cabin cruiser. Relatives and friends may call at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard, West, Silver Spring, MD, Wednesday, November 9, 2011, 10 to 11 am where service will be held at 11am. Interment MD Veteran’s Cemetery – Cheltenham.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

MARY BROWN CASPAR

On Sunday, November 6, 2011, Mary Brown Caspar, of Gaithersburg, MD. Beloved wife of the late George Joseph Caspar; mother of Eleanor Deeley, Ann Thomsen, Catherine Delahay, George J. Caspar Jr., and Patricia Lysaught. Also survived by 18 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. Relatives and friends may call on Tuesday, November 8, from 12 to 1 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Church, 917 Montrose Rd., Rockville, MD, where Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1 p.m. Interment Gate of Heaven Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Anne’s Infant Home, 4901 Eastern Ave., Hyattsville, MD 20782.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

ABBADEAN B. ROBERTSON

On Tuesday, November 1, 2011 of Silver Spring, MD. Beloved wife of Myron W. Robertson; mother of Kendra Robertson-Queen; grandmother of Vierra Queen; mother-in-law of Vincent I. Queen, Jr.; sister of Olivia C. Banks, Hosetta Reid and Portelean Abdullah. Also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Inurnment Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, Suitland, MD on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. with Memorial Service at Northwood Presbyterian Church, 1200 University Blvd., West, Silver Spring, MD following at 11:30 a.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis, 10866 West Washington Blvd., Suite 343, Culver City, CA 90232-3610.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

DOLORES M. PULVIRENTI

On Wednesday, November 2, 2011, of Bethesda, MD, died peacefully at home surrounded by her family. She was predeceased by her parents, Joseph S. and Julia M. Guido and her beloved husband, Domenic P. Pulvirenti. She was a devoted mother to her son, Darren S. Pulvirenti and his wife, Julianne. She was also a devoted grandmother to her step-grandchildren, T. Buxton and Julia B. Hobbes. Dolores was born in Utica, NY and moved with her family to Washington, DC. She graduated from the Notre Dame Academy for Girls and the Georgetown Visitation Junior College. She trained in nursing at Georgetown, G.W. and the original Children’s Hospital in Washington, DC. She was a past member of the Catholic Daughters of America and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Columbus, Rock Creek Council. Both Dolores and her husband were active members of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Kensington and later, attended St. Jane Frances de Chantal in Bethesda. A committal service will be held at Gate of Heaven Cemetery Chapel, 13801 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20906 on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 10:30 a.m.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

WILLIAM E. KOEHLER

“Bill”

On Wednesday, November 2, 2011 of Silver Spring, MD. Beloved husband of the late Geraldine “Geri” Koehler; father of Jeff (JoAnn) Koehler and Janet (Jim) Boyce; grandfather of Dr. Jeffrey (Alli) Koehler, Lt. Bryan (Megan) Koehler, USN and Kristin (Jake) Schmitz. Also survived by three great-grandchildren. Relatives and friends may call at Our Lady of Grace Church, 15661 Norbeck Blvd., Silver Spring, MD on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 from 10:30 to 11 a.m., where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Entombment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Little Sisters of the Poor, 4200 Harewood Rd., NE, Washington, DC 20017.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

MARY ISABEL DUBINSKY (Age 92)

On Sunday, October 30, 2011, of Oakland, MD. Beloved wife of the late Raymond Michael Dubinsky; mother of Peter Michael Dubinsky, Stephen Mark Dubinsky, Cynthia Marie Edie, and Regina Mary Wilbur. Also survived by 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Relatives and friends may call at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard, West, Silver Spring, MD, (Valet Parking), Friday, November 11, 7 to 9 p.m. Memorial Mass at St. Peter’s Church, 2900 Sandy Spring Rd., Olney, MD 20832, on Saturday, November 12, at 10:30 a.m. Interment private. Memorial contributions may be made to The Wounded Warrior Project, 7020 A.C. Skinner Pkwy, Ste. 100, Jacksonville, FL 32256 or Montgomery Hospice Society, 1355 Piccard Dr., Ste. 100, Rockville, MD 20850.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

RICHARD J. BONAHUE

“Dick”

On Thursday, November 3, 2011, of Rockville, MD. Beloved husband of Mary M. Bonahue; father of Richard J. Bonahue, Jr. Relatives and friends may call at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard, West, Silver Spring, MD, (Valet Parking), Monday, 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Patrick’s Church, Norbeck & Muncaster Mill Roads, Rockville, MD, on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. Interment Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook

RITA RENZI BELL (Age 87)

On Friday, November 4, 2011, of Silver Spring, MD. Beloved wife of Alexander Bolling Bell; loving mother of Peter (Claudia) Bell, Mary Rita (Mike) Winpisinger, and Angela (Richard) Pachucki; sister of Rose Keiling; grandmother of Christopher, Michael (Joy), Andrew, and Laura Pachucki, Christy (Jesse) Lindeman and Michael and Julie Winpisinger; great-grandmother of expected Rita Alexandra Lindeman. Relatives and friends may call at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard, West, Silver Spring, MD, (Valet Parking), Tuesday, 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Peter’s Church, 2900 Sandy Spring Road, Olney, MD, on Wednesday, November 9, at 11 a.m. Interment Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Autism Speaks, 5455 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 2250, ATTN Web Gift, Los Angeles, CA 90036.

Please Click Here to View and Sign Online Guestbook