John The Evangelist

On September 4, 2007 LILLIAN A. GATELY (nee Davis); devoted mother of Jeanne L. Lewis and her husband Neil, Cheryl M. Sturla and her husband John and the late John J. Gately, Jr.; dear sister of Lorraine McClung. Also survived by six grandchildren, four great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Friends may call at the family owned Ruck Towson Funeral Home, Inc., 1050 York Rd., (beltway exit 26) on Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 P.M. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. John The Evangelist Church - Hydes on Thursday at 10 A.M. Interment Highview Memorial Park.

On May 19, 2007 ERIC P. COOMES of Felton, PA husband of Suzanne Lynn Little Coomes; devoted father of Jacob Thomas Coomes, Zachary Ethan Coomes and Mariah Renee Coomes; loving son of Mary Ellen Coomes Riley (nee Bayles) and the late Donald Mack Coomes and stepson of James W. Riley; brother of Donna M. McGill, Michelle L. O'Brien, Darlene M. Coomes, Lisa S. McGann, Michael D. Coomes, Sean C. Coomes, Jennifer C. Hollingsworth and Katie S. Hartman and the late Christopher Matthew Coomes. Also survived by his grandmother Mary Frances Bayles and 31 nieces and nephews and one great-niece.

At the beginning of Mass, the Rev. Richard Tillman usually welcomes the congregation of St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church of Columbia, talks about the Scripture reading for the day and makes one of the corny jokes for which he has become well-known. He also asks if anyone is visiting from outside the parish so he can personally welcome them. "I think that is a really nice touch," said Anne Brusca, a former president of the parish council. Tillman's congregants say that welcoming touch along with his approachability and his respect for people of all faiths have been hallmarks of his 30 years in Columbia.

On May 5, 2007, JACQUELINE ANN BYRNE (nee Sommer), of Severna Park, beloved wife of Thomas E. Byrne and devoted mother of Col. Brennan T. Byrne, USMC, and Shannon P. Byrne; loving grandmother of Killian, Sheehan, S. Patrick, Declan, Ronan and Maeve; dear daughter of the late Robert and Loretta Sommer and loving sister of Robert Sommer and Mary Neiman. Friends may visit at Barranco and Sons, P.A.., Severna Park Funeral Home, on Wednesday 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 P.M. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. John the Evangelist Church on Thursday at 11 A.M. Interment Maryland Veterans Cemetery, Crownsville.

On March 21, 2007, Shirley A. Facelo (nee Harmony), recently of Miami, FL, and prior longtime resident of Timonium, MD passed away after a long illness. Shirley is the beloved wife of Marino R. Facelo, M.D.; devoted mother of John Facelo, Gregory Facelo and Patricia Chester; dear grandmother of Brittany and Jessica Facelo, and William and Allison Chester. Visitation and Funeral Mass will be held at St. John The Evangelist Parish, 13305 Long Green Pike, Hydes, MD 21082 on Tuesday, March 27. Visitation is from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m., followed immediately by the Mass at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of lowers, donations may be made to the Basilica Historic Trust of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, "In Memory of Shirley A. Facelo".

On March 3, 2007, PATRICIA VERA BLASCO, age 90, formerly of Lemoyne, PA, died in Frederick, MD. Wife of the late Andrew G. Blasco of 57 years. Born September 12, 1916 in PA, she was the daughter of the late John and Ines Mae (nee Klepper May). Survived by two sons, Colonel Andrew P. Blasco (Ret. Army) and wife Yvonne and David P. Blasco and wife Jean, two daughters, Bonnie Lee Rohr and husband Donald and Patricia Roeder and husband David, ten grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren. She is additionally survived by one brother, Earl May, and one sister, Gladys Mumma.

LAST WEEK, parishioners of St. Louis Roman Catholic Church in Clarksville welcomed three visitors from their sister parish in Haiti.The visit was part of a continuing exchange program between St. Louis and St. John the Evangelist Center in Gonaives, Haiti. The center runs an elementary school, a trade school and a medical dispensary."We've tried to establish in this sister-parish relationship a cultural, spiritual, educational and financial relationship," said the Rev. Rich Bozzelli, associate pastor at St. Louis.

Twenty years ago, the concept of several congregations sharing a worship space worked well, saving land and money and promoting James W. Rouse's ideals for his planned city of Columbia. Now, two of the community's oldest congregations are leaving Wilde Lake Interfaith Center amid tensions among religious leaders.In three to five years, St. John the Evangelist Baptist Church plans to build a 27,000-square-foot church on 45 acres at U.S. 40 and Marriottsville Road in Ellicott City. St. John the Evangelist Lutheran Church is pursuing the purchase of 8 to 12 acres in Clarksville or Ellicott City to build its church.

THE 21ST century generation will be in good hands -- today's youth will be in charge.So many young women and men in Columbia are working diligently in their schools and communities.Owen Brown Middle School's "Puma News" reports that the Gold Puma Pride solid "A" list includes 10 eighth-graders, three seventh-graders and twenty-one sixth-graders.Oakland Mills High School's "Quill" lists 30 students with a 4.0 grade-point average.Caring for others is typical of our younger generation, too.This month, Oakland Mills Middle School students Sharon Berlin and Kori Johnson are holding a stuffed-toy drive at their school.

Dr. E. T. WisniewskiOrthodontistDr. Eugene T. Wisniewski, a retired orthodontist who began his career as a dentist in 1947, died Tuesday of a blood disorder at St. Joseph Medical Center. He was 74 and lived in Baldwin.Dr. Wisniewski, who had practiced in Towson and later in Baldwin, retired in 1991.He was a life member of the state and national dental associations and the American Association of Orthodontists. He had also been active in the Jaraback Foundation for Orthodontic Research.Born in Baltimore, he was a 1939 graduate of City College and a 1943 graduate of Loyola College, where he was captain of the cross-country track team.

Visiting at the E.F. Lassahn Funeral Home, P.A., 11750 Belair Road (Kingsville) on Sunday 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. Funeral services will be held at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1515 Emmorton Road (Bel Air) on Monday with viewing, at the church from 9:30 to 10:00 A.M. at which time services will begin. Interment St. John the Evangelist Church Cemetery (Hydes). Those desiring donations may be made to the Central Christian Assembly Homeless Shelter Ministry, 7411 Rossville Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21237.

The man under investigation in a crash that killed a mother and her son last week in Harford County had been involved in another collision less than two hours earlier, police said yesterday. In the earlier crash, 37-year-old Christopher H. Lentz allegedly drove across the center line of a highway in Joppa in his work van and sideswiped another van occupied by a woman and seven children. He apparently drove on, but his vehicle became disabled a half-mile away and he was issued several traffic citations.

On November 5, 2008, DeETTA JANE A Memorial Mass will be celebrated Saturday 10 A.M. at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church (Wilde Lake Interfaith Center), 10431 Twin Rivers Rd., Columbia, MD 21044. Interment Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed in Mrs. Mullen's name to St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church at the above address or to the Mary Catherine Bunting Building at Mercy Hospital, 301 St. Paul St., Baltimore, MD 21202.

Nearly all the students raised their hands when Monsignor Richard Woy asked if they had watched the Olympics in Beijing this past summer. The students, teachers and parents had gathered inside the chapel at St. John the Evangelist School for a celebration. Woy quizzed the boys and girls, "Who won all the gold?" The children knew: Maryland native Michael Phelps, who garnered eight gold medals for swimming. "And what does that mean?" he asked the students. "You're the best," said Moy, repeating a student's answer.

Frederick H. Heiderman Sr., a retired Baltimore police officer and longtime resident of Phoenix, Baltimore County, died of a heart attack Sunday at his Timonium home. He was 85. Mr. Heiderman was born in Baltimore and raised in Hamilton. He was a 1941 graduate of City College and attended Essex Community College. During World War II, he enlisted in the Army in 1943 and served with the infantry in Europe. He was discharged with the rank of private in 1945. His decorations included the Purple Heart.

Since the e-mail announcing that her school was named a Blue Ribbon School landed in her inbox, Sister Linda Larsen, principal at St. John the Evangelist School in Severna Park, has been a busy woman. The prestigious national education award has brought droves of congratulatory phone calls. And local newspapers, as well as Catholic publications, have been lining up for interviews. "My office is pretty messy because I haven't been able to keep up with my work because the fame is taking over," Larsen, clearly ecstatic, said in a phone interview last week.

On September 7, 2008, MARIE V. (nee Grudziecki); beloved wife of the late Chester S. Zamkowski; devoted mother of Carol P. Foreman and her husband George. Also survived by three grandchildren, Jeffrey and his wife Donna, Mark and his wife Marla and Douglas Foreman, one great-grandchild Garrett, sister Laura Ruby and her husband Walter, sisters-in-law Loretta Grudziecki, Vera Nowojieski and her husband Henry and Helen Zabkowski. A Christian Wake Service will be held at the E.F. Lassahn Funeral Home, 11750 Belair Road (Kingsville)

On July 14, 2008 William Armour "Jake" Jenkins III, The family will receive friends at the family owned Ruck Towson Funeral Home, Inc., 1050 York Road (beltway exit 26) next week due day and time. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated the following day, arrangements still pending. Interment St. John the Evangelist Cemetery, Hydes. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mr. Jenkins name may be made to Loyoloa Blakefield, 500 Chestnut Ave., Towson, MD. 21204.

W. Armour "Jake" Jenkins III, a retired quality-control technician and World War II veteran, died Monday of pneumonia at Gilchrist Hospice Care. He was 88. Mr. Jenkins was born in Baltimore and raised on North Calvert Street, and at "Remembrance," his family's summer home in Long Green Valley. He was a 1938 graduate of Loyola High School and attended Loyola College. After his father's death, he dropped out of college to help support his family, said a daughter, Ellen J. Harrington of Lutherville.

On July 14, 2008 William Armour "Jake" Jenkins III, The family will receive friends at the family owned Ruck Towson Funeral Home, Inc., 1050 York Road (beltway exit 26) next week due day and time. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated the following day, arrangements still pending. Interment St. John the Evangelist Cemetery, Hydes.