Chris S. Witwer, CIP (56), aka Chris the Writer, as she loved to be known, shrugged off the confines of her failing body after a long battle with cancer on Dec. 3, 2024. She passed peacefully in her sleep at her home in Rockville, MD, held in the arms of her wife, with her beloved kitty Stella in her lap. She is now free to ride the wind & waves she always loved alongside the beloved whales, dolphins, orcas, & seals she adored photographing at any opportunity. Chris loved the ocean so much, she had a beautiful seahorse tattoo on her arm. A representation of strength, love, & protection, the seahorse is known for guiding travelers through rough waters. May hers guide her to wherever her energy will pass to next. Hopefully, if there is any true karma in the world, it will be a rebirth as one of the playful & free dolphins or orcas she so admired.

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Devastatingly, Chris has left behind her shattered but endlessly grateful wife of 11 years & love of 22 ½ years, or 8193 days & forever, Shiloh Blue (formerly known as L. A. Vess). The long engagement was not by choice, as it took 11 years before they were allowed to marry in Washington state, & two more before their marriage was recognized nationally. Chris was also forced to say goodbye to her two precious fur babies, Stella & Molly, who don't understand where their momma has gone. Chris & her wife were absolutely joyful to be childless cat ladies; but if they had ever had a kid of their own, they hoped it would be someone as brilliant, unique, creative, talented, & empathetic as their pseudo-adopted nibling, Max. Shoutout Max, Chris wished you all the joy you can find in this sometimes harsh world. Keep believing it is out there for you.

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Shi & Chris had one of those once-in-a-lifetime loves, not at first sight, but at first sound. Shi was working as the editor for an LGBTQ+ website. Chris was one of her freelance writers. They met at Atlanta Pride in 2002 for a writer’s weekend gathering. Before Chris ever saw Shi, she heard her, & said many times later her voice “sounded like home.” The first time Chris spoke to Shi, the feeling was deeply returned. Although it took a little prodding from their fellow writer & Cupid Cam for the self-conscious writer to ask out the shy editor, by the end of the weekend, Chris & Shi had fallen hard & were truly soulmates for life. For better, for worse… in sickness & in health… till death. They meant it.

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Chris is also survived by her parents, John & Joyce Witwer, & sister Kathy. She is preceded in death by her sister Cindy, paternal grandparents Lee & Polly Witwer, whom she cherished, & maternal grandmother Ruth Granade. Along the way, she also lost three other beloved fur babies: her childhood kitty Boots, her boon companion Mozart, & her sweet baby Dolce.Although she was born in Illinois, Chris always considered herself a Texan at heart. Her family moved to Dallas when she was young, where she attended Liberty Junior High School & Berkner High School, & published her first writing in the Berkner Literary Magazine. Chris began her college education at Baylor UV but moved on to graduate from the UV of Texas at Austin, which she considered her true alma mater. In many ways, although she would later call Seattle, WA, her second ‘home’ even after she left it to pursue better career opportunities, Austin would always be her first ‘home,’ and the place she really meant when she would talk about where she was from. Keep Austin Weird forever.

 

From humble beginnings as an answering service telephone operator, Chris rose through pure will & determination into a 20+ year storied career in medical research human subjects protection that spanned across the country coast to coast from the Medical UV of South Carolina to Quorum Review IRB (now Advarra) & the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, WA, to Stanford University in CA, to her final & dream job as a Program Specialist (Policy) in the Office of Human Subjects Research Protections (OHRSP) within the National Institutes for Health. Chris was also proud to serve many years on the CIP Council of PRIM&R before being named co-chair in 2023, an honor she was humbled by & overwhelmingly thrilled to receive. Her awards & accolades in various positions are too many to list here, but Chris was most proud of always working her hardest for both her colleagues & the research participants she was dedicated to supporting & protecting. She could quote the Belmont Report in her sleep.

 

Chris sincerely appreciated & adored so many of her colleagues over the years, forming close bonds for life with many. She was incredibly grateful to her fellows at the NIH during her last few years for the fantastic support, kindness, & friendship they provided during her cancer battle. Her wife wants to give Heather, Jonathan, & Peg a notable callout for their extraordinary generosity of spirit. Chris also gathered an enormous community of friends & chosen family from all over the world; too many to name. Still, her wife wishes to give special thanks to Barbie, for her boundless love & joy, to Jo, Marianne, & Linda for helping to ensure Chris was cared for in the best possible ways imaginable in her last months, & to Jill, for taking care of her favorite person ever besides her wife & making sure she is happy, fulfilled, & given everything she needs to thrive.

 

More than just a beloved wife & amazing colleague, Chris was also a beautiful piano player who once imagined competing in the Van Cliburn Competition before a tragic injury at a critical time derailed that dream. Singing was another creative act Chris enjoyed, particularly with the Austin Tapestry Singers, & she was passionate about photography, especially of beautiful landscapes, wild beaches, & magnificent marine life. Chris also loved to travel whenever she could - especially if art museums were involved - or just pick a direction nearby to go adventuring, on foot, by bike - her favorite, in her aqua Jeepy, & later, Penny the Subaru. You could also find her volunteering for causes she believed in whenever she had the chance, including several years with Seattle’s Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network (SSMMSN), an all-volunteer group dedicated to the protection of marine mammals & stewardship of our fragile marine ecosystem.

 

Above all things, however, Chris loved to write & never gave up her dream of being a novelist. Her favorite author, Eudora Welty, greatly inspired her, especially the short story "A Worn Path." In addition to penning numerous articles & essays over the years, Chris published two bucket list books in the last year of her life: A Deafening Absence, a collection of short stories, & Rubbings, a travelogue about backpacking through Europe before the advent of cellphones & the Internet. The best way to honor her memory is to read them; they are available through her Amazon author page.  Particularly while enjoying an Old Fashioned if you imbibe, or a nice slice of cake, as she was very fond of both.

 

As those who knew Chris would likely understand, she wanted no fanfare or fuss at her passing. She was sent back to stardust at a simple cremation with her loving wife as witness, with some of her favorite music, including Elgar's Enigma Variations & her wedding song, Magnolia Street, by Catie Curtis. She only asked that her friends & chosen family share a toast (or some of that cake), & live & love for today, not tomorrow, because - as it is said - those tomorrows are never guaranteed. Such a good, honest, & genuinely kind soul should have had a forever of tomorrows, but instead, can now only hope to be remembered for the incredible human being she was, the devoted & caring wife she was, & the loyal & kind friend she was. She made lasting impacts, great & small, on so many, personally & professionally. She lives on in those beautiful ripples she sent out into the world, making it a more wonderful place for every moment she was in it, & for long after she is gone.

 

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to SealSitters.org or HappyWhale.com.Condolences, lovely or funny stories about Chris, or just random cute cat photos for her grieving wife can be sent to ChrisWitwerMemories@gmail.com.

Dr. Casper “Cass” DeFiore, a cherished individual known for his kind, loving and caring personality, passed away peacefully on December 5th 2024, at the age of 92 after a long and fulfilling life.  

 

Cass was born November 26th 1932 in Utica, N.Y. to Mary (Morelli) and Casper DeFiore. He was the second of four children which included his older brother Ray, his sister Betty and younger brother Richard. Family was always at the heart of Cass's life. He prioritized his loved ones and lived a life marked by compassion and service to others. He found great joy in family gatherings, relishing the company of siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family.

 

Cass earned his Mathematics degree at the General Motors Institute before obtaining his PhD in Computer Science from Syracuse University, a rare achievement at the time. It was at Syracuse that he met his beloved wife Barbara, with whom he shared fourteen wonderful years until her passing in 1984.  Following his tenure at Rome Labs in New York, he relocated to Virginia to serve as a Civil Servant at the Pentagon.

 

Cass had a passion for playing the piano and was a devout Catholic. He was an active member of Nativity Parish in Burke, Virginia, where he met a wonderful group of people and became a significant part of their prayer group. Later, he joined St. Ignatius Church in Ijamsville, Maryland, where he contributed to the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and the Healing Ministry.

 

Cass was a devoted father and grandfather. He is survived by his son Richard, his wife Erica, and their four children: Andrew, Cassandra, Brooke, and Kathryn. He is also survived by his daughter Lisa, her husband Jack, and their children: Faith, Elizabeth, and Jack Jr. During his retirement years, he lived with Lisa's family and remained deeply involved in their lives, becoming a cherished part of their family.

 

The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 19th from 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church, 4103 Prices Distillery Rd, Ijamsville, MD 21754, where a funeral mass will begin at 10:30 AM. Interment to follow at Fairfax Memorial Park, 9900 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032.

 

In place of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to The Lombardi Cancer Center, honoring Cass's memory and supporting the fight against cancer, a cause that has deeply affected several of his loved ones.

Irene “Ducie” F. Dixon, 91, of Rockville, MD, died peacefully on December 13, 2024 at her residence.

She was the wife of the late Irving Dixon.

Born on June 26, 1933, in Wheaton, MD, she was the daughter of the late Lawrence and Jessie (Poole) Gibson.  

Irene is survived by her children, Della Cleveland, Patricia Mullens, Lawrence Dixon, Donna Riley, Robert Dixon and Paul Dixon.  She is also survived by 19 grandchildren, a loving granddaughter, Joanne Dixon, who she loved and cared for as a daughter, 26 great grandchildren and 3 great great grandchildren.

The family will be receiving friends on Wednesday, December 18, from 6-8 PM at the Hilton Funeral Home, 22111 Beallsville Rd., Barnesville, MD where funeral services will be held on Thursday, December 19, at 11 AM.  Pastor Danny Moore will be officiating.  

Interment will follow in Monocacy Cemetery, Beallsville, MD.

Sharon Diane True, 78, recently of Inwood, WV, passed away Sunday morning on December 15, 2024. Diane was born in Maryland on April 30, 1946, to Talmage M. and Pearl L. (Webster) Fink. 

She was the wife of the late Daniel E. True, the love of her life and her best friend. They lived most of their lives in the family home on Clarksburg Road in Boyds. 

Diane was fiercely loyal to her family, friends, and anyone she loved. She was the caregiver to her mother and younger brother, Joe, until they passed. She was also a champion for animals, especially her beloved dogs. The last of which is Beckham. Diane worked as a secretary for Bechtel Corporation until retirement. 

Sharon is survived by her brother, Johnny Klepp; nieces, Debra Spigler, Stacy Hawkins, Vicky Dowling, Paula Drew, and Janet Crusenberry; and nephews, David Wills, Roy Wills, Wayne Fink, Robert Fink, and Gary Fink. She is also survived by multiple grandnieces and nephews and great-grandnieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by one sister and seven brothers. 

The family will receive friends on Saturday, January 11, 2025, from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM at the Hilton Funeral Home, 22111 Beallsville Rd., Barnesville, MD, where a service begins at 2:00 PM. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her memory to Berkeley County Humane Society in Martinsburg, WV.

Anne Stuart Baldwin Beers, 65, of Poolesville MD, peacefully passed from our world on December 19, 2024 after a life richly lived.

Known for her kind heart, generous good nature, and warm smile; Anne was cherished by her family, friends, and community. Many will remember her strong faith, hearty laugh, cheerful optimism and eagerness to know and love everyone she met.

Anne was preceded in death by her parents, Elizabeth “Betsy” and Captain Charles Baldwin USN, Ret., and her legacy remains through her husband, Allan Beers Jr, children, Chelsea Kendall, Allan (Grace) Beers, Elizabeth Beers, as well as her siblings, Elizabeth “Betsy” (Wil), Chip (Angela), Jim (Linda), Amy (Steve) and their families. Anne’s memory will be treasured by all who knew her.

The family will be receiving friends on Saturday, January 4, 2025 from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM at  Our Lady of the Presentation Catholic Church, Poolesville, MD, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM. Interment to follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Church Cemetery, Barnesville, MD.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Anne’s memory to the American Brain Tumor Association online at bit.ly/DonateABTA or via mail:

The American Brain Tumor Association
8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. #550
Chicago, IL 60631

Colonel Ben P. Daughtry (USAF Retired), 86, of Dickerson, MD, passed away suddenly on December 20, 2024. He was the husband of the late Nancy M. Daughtry, who died on July 17, 2020. Born on September 4, 1938, in Smithfield, NC, he was the son of the late Hubert and Elizabeth (Hill) Daughtry.

 

Ben is survived by two daughters, Beth Norton (John) & Cathy Kogler (Tim); and son, Bryan Daughtry. He is also survived by six grandchildren: Evelyn (Alex Begej) & Joanna Norton (Joseph Williams), Emily & Katie Kogler, and Brooke & Ben Daughtry, II. He is also survived by a large family, including three younger sisters, a brother, nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was predeceased by his grandsons Nicholas and Christopher Kogler, as well as his parents and two brothers.

 

Ben grew up on a tobacco farm in eastern North Carolina as the second of seven children, developing a strong work ethic and devotion to family. He later attended the University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy at Chapel Hill. He was so proud to be a Tar Heel, paying it back over the years by hosting many pharmacy students during their internships in DC. He also completed a master’s in business administration from Inter American University.

 

He married Nancy, the love of his life in 1961, and accepted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force. Their journey began in Mountain Home, Idaho. He served in the military for 24 years, eventually settling in Maryland in 1974. He worked in the Medical Service Corps in healthcare management and retired in 1985 as a Colonel. After retirement, he had a rewarding career in federal government marketing with Glaxo Smithkline pharmaceuticals.  Throughout his life he worked part-time as a pharmacist in his off hours to support his family, continuing into his late 70’s. He proudly maintained his pharmacy license for over 62 years!

 

Ben dedicated his life to serving God, family, and community. He lived a selfless life always searching for what he could do for others. He was the longest-serving member of the session in the history of Darnestown Presbyterian Church, serving over 40 years. He was also a founding member of the Mercy Health Clinic, providing essential healthcare to uninsured low-income residents in the community. He supported his children’s interests, including building and managing a horse farm. An outdoorsman, he enjoyed projects and built a lake home with Nancy. Jet skiing and boating were among his favorite activities until his last days. His faithfulness to Nancy during her battle with ovarian cancer was inspiring, and her passing deeply affected him. However, the love of family, friends, and a full social calendar helped sustain him. His favorite response to good news was “wonderful,” a sentiment we will always cherish.

 

Nancy aptly described Ben as "the best man who ever lived." While we find comfort in their reunion this Christmas, we will miss his smile, laughter, and caring nature.

 

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 28th at the Darnestown Presbyterian Church, 15120 Turkey Foot Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland. Visitation will begin at 10 AM followed by an 11 AM service and burial in the church cemetery.

 

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Darnestown Presbyterian Church.

Sarah Jane Kirksey passed peacefully on Sunday, December 22, 2024 surrounded by her family on their small farm in Dickerson, Maryland. She was born December 29, 1947, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. In 1969 she married Will Kirksey, who she met while both were working at the Oak Ridge nuclear facility. At Otterbein College she majored in music and after working with deaf children as a social worker she was inspired to become an audiologist. As an adult she moved to Florida, back to Tennessee, and then to Ohio before settling in Montgomery County in 1990. She was a devoted and kind mother, who interrupted her career to care for two children: Eben (born in 1976) and Kate (born in 1980).

Locally she is known as a successful small business owner. After founding Hearing Heath Care in1996, she compassionately cared for a community of patients. She believed the best way to run a business was to treat everyone she encountered with kindness. Her naturally caring personality led her to provide personalized help to her clients—like giving discounts and wrangling free hearing devices from the suppliers for her clients who had difficulty paying. She never needed to advertise: her clients loved her and spread the word. Her clientele included senior government diplomats, a bank president, a Grammy award winning music critic, members of a famous rock and roll band, and prisoners from one of the area’s maximum security prisons (brought in shackled by an armed guard!).

Jane Kirksey had a life-long passion for the outdoors and especially enjoyed hiking, paddling, as well as downtime at the beach. An intrepid leader, she organized and led adventurous family trips: including whitewater paddling down the Westwater Canyon of the Colorado  River, canoe camping on lake Temagami in Canada, and trekking on Mont Blanc’s sea of ice in France. Internationally she travelled to Mexico, Vietnam, England, Kenya, Italy, Greece, among many other countries. After being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2017, she traveled to Australia to go hiking, snorkeling, and boating with her son Eben.

She moved to the farm in Dickerson in 2017 with her husband Will and her daughter Kate, and her first grandchild Luke (born 2016). During the coronavirus pandemic her son Eben also came back to the farm to join the family. Her second grandson, Henry, was born in April 2020. She was excited about using the farm to create a legacy for her family. Marveling at natural beauty, she enjoyed planting flowers, bulbs, and trees on the farm—knowing that these plants would live on for generations. Jane enjoyed strolls through the farm fields with goats, chickens, and especially her grandchildren Luke and Henry.

A celebration of her life is being planned for summer.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations in her honor to either Riverworks Art Center (riverworksart.org) or WUMCO Help (wumcohelp.org), our local charity.

Victor Louis Jakubowski, 83, of Frederick, MD, passed away peacefully on December 24, 2024. He was also known by family and friends as Feller and Jake.

Born on April 2, 1941, in Dexter, New York to the late Lucian C. and Mary A. (Cosmic ) Jakubowski.   After high school Victor joined and served in the United States Air Force. His duty stations included Alaska and Washington D.C. He worked as a Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service until he retired. He was also a very active member of the American Legion Post 248. He was a fan of the Washington Nationals, Commanders and Capitals sports teams.

Victor is survived by his two daughters; Christine Jakubowski McFadden (husband Robert) of New Market, MD, Michele Lynn Jakubowski of Albuquerque, NM and son Kevin Victor Jakubowski of Newport, Maine, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He is also survived by his brothers; John, Felix, Edward, Martin and sisters; Veronica, Edwina and Janina. He was preceded in death by brothers and sisters; Wanda, Stanley, Lucian, Richard, Carl, Kathleen, Victoria Lila and Victoria Louise.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in his memory to a charity of your choice.

Mary Evelyn Allnutt, 97, formerly of Potomac, MD, passed away on December 21, 2024.

She was the loving wife to the late Russell W. Allnutt, Sr.

Born on May 10, 1927 in Washington, D.C., she was the daughter of the late Dwight E. and Margaret E. (Wright) Martin.

Mary is survived by her children; Russell W. Allnutt, Jr., wife Janey, Dwight L. Allnutt, wife Kathy, one sister; Charlotte E. Previti, 7 grandchildren and many great and great great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by one daughter; Brenda C. Terry and one brother; Cecil L. Martin.

The family will be receiving friends from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM on  Monday, December 30, 2024 at Hilton Funeral Home, 22111 Beallsville Road, Barnesville, MD 20838. Interment to follow at Fort Lincoln Cemetery at 1:30 PM. 

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Farhney-Keedy Coffman Nursing Home or Hospice of Washington County Md.

Rev. Bryan Conrad Baker, 46, died suddenly on December 23, 2024, at his home in Boyds, MD. The son of the late Maurice Roger Baker and Elizabeth Wingold Baker, he was born April 30, 1978.

 

After his 1996 graduation from University High School in his hometown of Morgantown, WV, Bryan went on to receive his B.A. from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 2000. In 2007, he received his Master of Divinity degree from Duke University Divinity School and was ordained as a full elder in the United Methodist Church in 2010.

 

Rev. Baker was currently serving as a chaplain at Children's National Hospital in Washington D.C. Prior to that, Bryan had served as pastor of Claypool and later Ronceverte and Elizabeth Chapel United Methodist Churches in West Virginia.

 

His was a heart for mission. Before his marriage to Jaya Abraham in 2009, Bryan had served as a missionary in places as "close" as a Ute Indian Reservation in the states to the distant countries of Uganda and Rwanda in Africa. After his marriage and the subsequent births of his beloved children Elijah Zachery and Lily Anjali, he then served in West Virginia and later, D.C.

 

In addition to his ex-wife Jaya, his two children and his mother, Bryan Is survived by one brother, Benjamin Scott Baker, his wife Erika Shaffer and their three children, Eva Elizabeth, Olivia Marie and Cameron Thomas, all of Morgantown.

 

The family will hold a memorial service on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. at Avery United Methodist Church, 1152 Cheat Road, Morgantown, WV. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in his memory be made by check to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and mailed to Avery United Methodist Church, 1152 Cheat Road, Morgantown, WV 26508.

Judith DeSzily (née Barany) passed away peacefully on December 28, 2024, at the age of 90. She was born on August 5, 1934, in Budapest, Hungary, to Istvan Barany and Magda Barany (née Oberschall).

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In 1947, Judith and her mother fled Communist-occupied Hungary for Italy. There, as a teenager in Rome, she became a multilingual tour guide fluent in Italian and French. In 1951, they emigrated to the United States and settled in New York, where Judith attended Manhattanville College.

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Over Thanksgiving in 1955, Judith met the love of her life, Thomas DeSzily, a fellow Hungarian refugee. They married on May 11, 1957, and together built a life filled with love and adventure. The couple welcomed two children: Anthony in 1960 and Magdalena in 1962. Due to Tom’s career with Mercedes-Benz of North America, the family lived in numerous locations, including New York, the Bahamas, Cleveland, Washington D.C., and the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Judith was known for her strong will and unwavering devotion to her family. As a supportive partner to Tom, she earned a reputation as an exceptional hostess, orchestrating countless social events tied to his professional endeavors. After Tom’s retirement, Judith dedicated herself to the Hungarian Knights of Malta as a Dame alongside her husband, who was a Knight. Together, they made several pilgrimages to Lourdes to assist the sick and terminally ill.

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Judith instilled in her children a deep pride in their Hungarian heritage and Catholic faith while exemplifying love and commitment through her marriage. 

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She is survived by her son Anthony and daughter-in-law Jeska; her daughter Magdalena; and her cherished grandchildren Ilona DeSzily, Viola DeSzily, and Jack McCarty. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Tom and son-in-law Clay McCarty.

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May Judith’s memory be a source of comfort and inspiration to all who knew her.

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A Funeral Mass will be held Monday, January 13, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Mother Seton Parish, 19951 Father Hurley Blvd, Germantown, MD 20874.

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​In Lieu of flowers please make a contribution to Hungarian Catholic Mission.