Ascension

On September 17, 2003, GUY LeROY SIMMONS, loving husband of Gertrude E. Simmons (nee Zartler), devoted father and father-in-law of Diane L. Simmons and Mark R. and Kathleen Simmons, brother of Col. Bland B. Simmons and grandfather of Meghan, Kathryn and Colleen Simmons. Memorial Services will be held Monday, September 22, 1 P.M. at the Church of the Ascension, 23 North Court Street, Westminster, MD. Interment will be at a later date. Sympathy may be expressed in the form of contributions, in his name, to the Church of the Ascension Capital Fund, 23 North Court Street, Westminster, or to Carroll Hospice, 95 Carroll Street, Westminster, MD 21157.

On September 3, 2003, ROBERT J. JR.; beloved husband of Faye H. Burns (nee Hardin); devoted father of Stephanie F. and Randy Melchor and Robert J. (Joe) and Barbara Burns III; dear brother of Charles E. Burns; loving grandfather of Adam Melchor, Robert J. Burns IV, Derek Melchor and Jennifer Burns. Relatives and friends are invited to call at the family owned MCCULLY-POLYNIAK FUNERAL HOME, P.A., 237 E. Patapsco Avenue (Brooklyn), on Friday 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M., where family and friends will gather on Saturday at 9 A.M. and proceed to the Church of the Ascension (Halethorpe)

On June 18, 2003 ELSIE M. RICE, loving mother of Debra and her husband Bob Mezewski Sr., cherished grandmother of Robert F. Jr. and Daniel E. Mezewski, dear sister of Margaret Brann and Frank, Sam, and Dave Bell. Also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Relatives and friends may call at the family owned and operated AMBROSE FUNERAL HOME, Inc., 1328 Sulphur Spring Rd., Arbutus, on Friday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M., where a Christian Wake Service will also be held at 4 P.M. A Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated Saturday at 8 A.M. at the Church of the Ascension in Halethorpe.

It was an amazing first month for the upstart Kansas City Royals, who opened the 2003 season with seemingly little hope of contending in the American League Central. It will be even more amazing if they can maintain anything close to the heady pace they set on the way to the 17-8 that has put them on top of the American League Central standings and turned them into another shining example of good small-market management. The Royals, who open a three-game series against the Orioles tonight at Camden Yards, still must prove that they are more than just the happy beneficiaries of a soft April schedule, but they already have gained credibility with their strong young pitching staff and exciting offense.

On March 2, 2003 BENJAMIN A. PETTY beloved son of Philip A. and Sandra Muha Petty; dear brother of Adam F. Petty; cherished grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Muha. Also survived by many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, family members and friends. Relatives and friends may call at the family owned AMBROSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 1328 Sulphur Spring Road, Arbutus on Wednesday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated Thursday 10:30 a.m. at the Church of the Ascension in Halethorpe.

The Ravens weren't supposed to win more than a handful of games. They certainly weren't supposed to contend for the playoffs, either. Now, with three players having been named to the Pro Bowl yesterday, the Ravens have completed an unexpected trifecta. The Ravens (7-7), who play the Cleveland Browns (7-7) in a key AFC North game Sunday, reaped some early rewards for their overachieving season as offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, tight end Todd Heap and outside linebacker Peter Boulware were selected to the Pro Bowl.

DEMOCRATS, weeping over their breakfast of cornflakes and arsenic, can console themselves today: At least Robert Ehrlich's victory shows, against much previous evidence to the contrary, that there really is a two-party political system in Maryland. Republicans, doing cartwheels across the state, can rejoice in this fact: Any party can win a gubernatorial race at least once every 35 years or so. Several weeks back, when polls were showing Ehrlich edging ahead in the race for governor, and momentum was clearly building, I reached him at home one morning.

James Edward "Ned" Malone, a former Baltimore County sheriff who served 12 years in the House of Delegates, died of complications from cancer and congestive heart failure Monday at his Arbutus home. He was 74. Mr. Malone worked 32 years for Western Maryland Railway as a track supervisor and personnel manager before he was elected to the House of Delegates as a Democrat in 1967 to represent southwestern Baltimore County. He served until 1979 and headed the county delegation in 1975 and and in 1979.

W. Francis Malooly, a Parkville native who went from an altar boy at St. Ursula School to a priest who runs the day-to-day operations of the Archdiocese of Baltimore - historically one of the nation's most influential - was ordained a bishop yesterday. In a ceremony at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen attended by about 30 cardinals and bishops and hundreds of priests, Malooly was presented with the symbols of his new office: a ring; a crosier, or brass shepherd's staff; the miter, or bishop's pointed hat; and a book of the Gospels, which he will teach and proclaim.

Abby Pyzik's return has given Mercy's basketball team a significant boost. The senior guard, who came back after Christmas from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, scored a season-high 12 points Sunday to help the Magic upset then-No. 7 Spalding, 61-44. She also had eight points, including a critical four-point play, in Friday night's 38-36 upset of then-No. 11 Roland Park. As a result, the Magic leaped from No. 16 in last week's poll to No. 12 today. The team also improved to 9-5 overall and 5-3 in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference.