Family Members

In the Indian folk tales that appear in the book Tales from a Faraway Land, a brave prince rescues a cursed princess, Mother Earth saves her long-lost daughter and a sage helps end a drought. All of these mythical characters have found a real-life champion in Priya DasSarma of Ellicott City, who worked with her mother-in-law, Seba DasSarma, to preserve the 14 Indian stories and introduce them to new audiences. It is a task she said is particularly meaningful as the mother of two children, ages 7 and 10. "It is important for my kids to realize that they come from a certain context," she said.

Mabel Gordon pasted snapshots of her 15-year-old grandson, Maurice, on poster board, a makeshift memorial to the boy who died from a bullet as he sat on a neighbor's front porch surrounded by friends. As she showed the pictures to grieving family members at their Reservoir Hill home yesterday afternoon, a boy walked toward the group. The victim's sister, Jennifer Martin, 17, started to cry. The victim's mother, Jill Jenkins, yelled. And the father, Maurice Gordon-Bey Sr., dropped a phone he was holding and ran after the boy. Gordon-Bey caught up with him in a grassy field across from the Linden Avenue house.

He was a little boy with an old soul. A preschooler who liked to help family members cook. A kid who tooled around his block on his training wheel-less bike. Yesterday, 3-year-old Charles Murrell was killed when two cars collided in a West Baltimore intersection and careened onto a street corner, striking him and an unidentified female, police said. A cousin and a family friend were taking the boy to a pool, relatives said. Charles, called Chuck, died on impact about 3:30 p.m., a few blocks from his home in the 1900 block of W. Lanvale St. Baltimore police said a man in a silver Chrysler Sebring traveling west in the 1800 block of W. Lanvale St. ran a red light and collided with a black Chevrolet Malibu traveling south in the 800 block of Fulton Ave. The female victim was treated at University of Maryland Medical Center for nonlife-threatening injuries.

A Florida businessmen, accused of defrauding investors in a bankrupt Columbia medical test company, and members of his family have agreed to pay creditors the balance of a $2.8 million settlement of an $8 million lawsuit.The new settlement terms, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, represent a second attempt to secure payment by targeting assets of family members and avert a trial that had been slated for this month, a lawyer for the creditors said.The original suit had sought the return of more than $8 million that William P. Trainor and a Florida business associate, Vincent Celentano, allegedly siphoned off from Novatek International Inc. of Columbia.

Courts should help police, crime victims confine criminalsThis letter is in response to "Slain officer's family keeps 24-year vigil" (Feb. 25) by Devon Spurgeon. The article walks the reader through the "sips of freedom" a convicted murderer has had since he was imprisoned in 1976 for killing Maryland State Police Sgt. Wallace J. Mowbray.The article also speaks of the Mowbray family's conflict with the justice system regarding the release of Charles Edward Watson, convicted in the murder.

Gilbert O. Herman, an actor and television executive whose credits include "The Steve Allen Show," "What's My Line" and "Candid Camera," died Sept. 6 of congestive heart failure at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis.Mr. Herman, who was 80, moved to Annapolis about 10 years ago to be closer to family members.He appeared in the Broadway production of Moss Hart's "Winged Victory" in the 1940s and had roles in motion pictures, including "Romeo and Juliet," "I Was a Male War Bride," "Sands of Iwo Jima" and "Bitter Victory."

A ban on assisted suicide in Maryland took a major step toward becoming law yesterday, clearing the House after an emotional debate in which legislators discussed their experiences of confronting illness and death in their families.The ban, making it a felony to aid in a suicide or suicide attempt, passed by a 78-54 vote, just seven votes more than necessary to approve legislation in the 141-member House. A tougher bill has already passed the Senate, and supporters are optimistic they will hammer out the differences before the close of the General Assembly session April 12.The bill came to the House floor as Jack Kevorkian stands trial for first-degree murder in a Michigan case where the assisted-suicide advocate says he conducted a mercy killing.

Issues of privacy and public health came into play last week in a case of life-threatening illness when an Annapolis High School student was hospitalized in critical condition with bacterial meningitis.Parents of other students were notified of the illness -- which is mostly spread through direct contact -- in a letter that did not identify the victim.Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the membranes that cover the brain. Symptoms include severe headache, stiff neck, high fever and rash.

Helen E. Wilson will celebrate her 100th birthday today, but family members are frustrated as they watch her Upton home fall victim to vandals and bureaucratic red tape, and fear that it will demolished.Wilson was forced out of the home she worked for decades to buy, on West Lanvale Street, this summer after rainstorms collapsed the roof and snapped support beams. City building inspectors condemned the home last month and warned that it could be demolished if not repaired.Family members, fearing Wilson's health would deteriorate if she was permanently relocated, had hoped to repair the home in time for her birthday.

A heroic rescue attempt by his older brother and the frantic efforts of relatives, neighbors and firefighters could not save a 4-year-old boy who was killed yesterday afternoon when fire swept through the upper floor of a two-story home in southwestern Baltimore County.Neighbors, many of them volunteer firefighters, and family members fought blinding smoke and flames but were unable to bring Scotty Tilghman to safety, fire officials said.When firefighters arrived three minutes after the fire was reported at about 1 p.m. in the 3000 block of Alabama Ave. in Baltimore Highlands, they found the child's body in an upstairs closet.

Peacefully on October 21, 2009, GILBERT "Gil" FAUVER; loving fiance of Betsy Benson; beloved father of Cindy and her husband Donald Ayers and Michael Fauver and his wife Ysela; cherished grandfather of three grandchildren; dear brother of Lawrence, Patricia, Raymond, Beverly, Samuel and the late Ruth, Mary and Margaret. Family members and friends may call at the family owned AMBROSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 1328 Sulphur Spring Road, Arbutus on Saturday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. Services private.

On October 20, 2009, BENJAMIN E. WORTMAN, JR.; beloved husband of Roberta C. Wortman; loving father of Angela Tucker, Benjamin, David, Jeff and Lizzy Wortman; dear brother of Doris Wortman and Lisa Barnabae. Also survived by many grandchildren, nieces, nephews, family members and friends. Relatives and friends may call at the family owned AMBROSE FUNERAL HOME OF LANSDOWNE, 2719 Hammonds Ferry Road, Lansdowne, MD, 21227, on Friday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M., where funeral service will be held on Saturday beginning at 9 A.M. Interment Cedar Hill Cemetery.

On October 20, 2009, BENJAMIN E. WORTMAN, JR.; beloved husband of Roberta C. Wortman; loving father of Angela Tucker, Benjamin, David, Jeff and Lizzy Wortman; dear brother of Doris Wortman and Lisa Barnabae. Also survived by many grandchildren, nieces, nephews, family members and friends. Relatives and friends may call at the family owned AMBROSE FUNERAL HOME OF LANSDOWNE, 2719 Hammonds Ferry Road, Lansdowne, MD, 21227, on Friday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M., where funeral service will be held on Saturday beginning at 9 A.M. Interment Cedar Hill Cemetery.

The Dorseys are at it again, ordering stunning quantities of chicken, corn and green beans, preparing to convene once more on the hilly spot in Sykesville where family roots go deep. The reunion T-shirt order ran to 170 this time for the Dorsey family's 60th Labor Day gathering. The 2009 cryptic T-shirt motto - "From Yuka Purl to York Imperial" - tells a story, but so does most everything connected to the event, because what else is family but one large ball of narrative twine. "My mother always impressed upon us, 'Remember you're a Dorsey,' " said Rosie Hutchinson.

Cool, wet summer promotes fungus growth Maryland agriculture officials say the cool, wet summer is leaving the state's grain crops vulnerable to fungus damage. Agriculture Department spokeswoman Sue DuPont says farmers noticed a problem with the crops about a month ago. The University of Maryland agriculture extension office says the state chemist's office has been distributing test kits to farmers across Maryland. Testing has found increased levels of a fungus known as vomitoxin across the state with the bulk reported in Southern Maryland.

Sadly on July 1, 2009, CHRISTOPHER J. LUNCZYNSKI; beloved son of James J., and Donna L. Lunczynski; loving brother of Tracy and Timothy Lunczynski and wife Nicole; cherished grandson of Florence Rottman; dear uncle of John, Alanna, Jordan, Riley, Cory and Connor. Also survived by aunts, uncles, other family members and friends. Family members and friends may call at the family owned AMBROSE FUNERAL HOME INC., 1328 Sulphur Spring Road, Arbutus, MD, 21227 on Sunday 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday beginning at 10 A.M at Transfiguration Catholic Community Church, 775 W. Hamburg Street, Baltimore, MD, 21230.

On May 6, 2009, JOAN M. PITT; beloved mother of Lisa Williams and husband Thomas, Tony Pente and wife Lorrie, and Angie Atkinson and husband Kenny; cherished grandmother of Michael Pente, Mallory Pente, Eric Pente, Matthew Pente, Brianna Markwood, Tyler Pente, and Luca Atkinson; dear sister of Joyce Corso and Jack Petticord. Also survived by other loving family members and friends. Family members and friends may call at the family owned AMBROSE FUNERAL HOME, 1328 Sulphur Spring Road, Arbutus, MD 21227 on Monday, 3-5 and 7-9 p.m. A graveside service will be held on Tuesday at Meadowridge Memorial Park at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Joan's name to Joseph Richey Hospice, 838 N. Eutaw Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 www.ambrosefuneralhomes.

Sadly, on April 24, 2009, WANDA J. "Tina" Metcalf, beloved wife of the late Jackie W. Metcalf Sr.; loving mother of John Johnson Jr., Charles Johnson, Jackie W., Chad, Scott and the late Shannon and Kenny Metcalf; cherished grandmother of 15; great grandmother of two; dear sister of Vicki Lewis and Robin Murphy; special mother-in-law and best friend to Racheal. Also survived by other family members and friends. Family members and friends may call at the family owned AMBROSE FUNERAL HOME OF LANSDOWNE, 2719 Hammonds Ferry Road, Landsdowne ,MD 21227 on Tuesday 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. where a funeral service will be held on Wednesday beginning at 3 P.M. Interment private.

WASHINGTON -President Barack Obama is permitting unlimited travel and transfer of money by Cuban-Americans to their relatives in Cuba and sponsoring greater telecommunications with the island, while keeping a long-standing U.S. embargo against trade with Cuba in place. The State, Treasury and Commerce departments will lift "all restrictions" on the visits of family members to Cuba and remittances of money, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday. This "series of steps ... to reach out to the Cuban people" is intended to "help bridge the gap between divided Cuban families," Gibbs said, and in turn promote greater freedom and human rights in the communist nation.

Sgt. Steve Olson only had to follow the footprints. With snow falling and few people out Tuesday night, whoever shot 23-year-old Jasmine Harris in the doorway of her family's West Baltimore home had left a clear trail. It twisted from the home, through an alley behind several houses, and up onto a porch on Gwynns Falls Parkway. It led to an area where a vehicle appeared to have pulled up, and then, right back to the crime scene in the 3000 block of Windsor Ave. There, standing on the corner, at the end of the footprints, was Kenneth R. Warren Jr. He was watching police response to the shooting.