Niece

On September 7, 2007, BELINDA ROBIN KOELLEIN lost her long valiant battle with with brain cancer. She died quietly in her mother's presence at the John & Arloine Mandrin Chesapeake Hospice House. Belinda's daughter Nastassja was the love and passion of her entire life. Her birthday wish this year was "Peace and Love" for her daughter Nastassja. With this care and devotion, she put special emphasis on Nastassja's education and always encouraged her to strive for the best. Because of this dedication to her education, Nastassja is now a student at St. Timothy's School.

On March 14, 2007 LUCILLE devoted wife of the late Richard A. Preddy. Beloved mother of the late Robert R. Preddy. She is survived by a loving daughter-in-law Erika Preddy. A favorite niece Lucille Carmichael and a host of other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.l Friends may call at the family owned MARCH FUNERAL HOME WEST, INC., 4300 Wabash Avenue on Friday after 8:30 A.M. where the family will receive friends on Saturday at 2:00 A.M. Funeral Services will follow at 2:30 A.M.

Hilda Mary Askew, a retired aircraft mechanic and hospital volunteer, died of an arterial disease April 25 at FutureCare Irvington. She was 93 and a former longtime resident of Ivanhoe Avenue in the city's Liberty Heights area. Born Hilda Mary Sheffey in Baltimore and raised on Carrollton Avenue, she was a 1932 graduate of Frederick Douglass High School and received airplane assembly training certificates from Carver Vocational-Technical High School. She became an aircraft mechanic at the old Glenn L. Martin Co. from 1942 to 1972 and received a Zero Defects Pin Award in recognition of her work.

Beatrice L. Foot, a former cook who was known for her crocheting skills, died Thursday of complications from Alzheimer's disease at Future Care Charles Village. She was 92. Born Beatrice L. Allen and raised in West Baltimore, she attended night school at Douglass High School, where she earned her diploma. Mrs. Foot worked for more than 50 years as a cook for several Roland Park families. She retired about 30 years ago, family members said. "She loved to cook and entertain at home. Everything she made was good and beautifully served," said a niece, Maria Tolson of Baltimore.

On Friday, February 16, 2007 ANGELA D. CLARK (nee Dooley), beloved wife of the late James Oliver Clark; devoted mother of Michael C. Clark and his dear friend Eileen F. Haffner and family; dear sister of the late Anna Marie Rilling, Claire Leona Davison, Francis Xavier Dooley, and Michael Cornelius Dooley; dear aunt of several nephews and one niece and dear great-aunt of several nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends at Fink Funeral Home, P.A., 426 Crain Highway, S. (at 5th Avenue)

Critic's Pick -- Angie (Constance Marie, above) frets about her looks when George's niece shows up on George Lopez (8 p.m., WMAR, Channel 2).

Emmy May Platzke, 77, homemakerEmmy May Platzke, a homemaker and longtime member of Pasadena United Methodist Church, died June 28 of natural causes at Duke Medical Center in Durham, N.C. She was 77.The former Emma May Brady was born in Baltimore and attended city schools. She was the widow of Paul Frederick Platzke, whom she married when she was 16.Mrs. Platzke moved to Skipwith, Va., in 1980.She was buried Thursday at Trinity United Methodist Church Cemetery in Skipwith.Mrs. Platzke is survived by a daughter, Sondra May Platzke Jones of McGaheysville, Va.; four sons, Paul F. Platzke Jr., Joseph B. Platzke and Herbert L. "Roy" Platzke, all of Skipwith, and Wane L. Platzke of Harrington, Del.; a sister, Juanita Matheson of Glen Burnie; a brother, Herbert Brady of Baltimore; 16 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Sunday night is a school night, but it's worth staying up tonight to catch two classic Westerns on the TCM channel.At 8 p.m. it's my favorite John Ford movie, "The Searchers" (1956), a sprawling, vividly colored epic starring John Wayne as a man obsessed with finding his niece (Natalie Wood), who has been kidnapped by Indians. Whereas many of Ford's Westerns bore more than a whiff of racism, "The Searchers" - which you should really see on a big screen if possible - betokens a slightly more reflective attitude on the part of the director, who depicts BTC Wayne's character as more deranged than heroic.

A Baltimore police officer arrested on a rape charge in October and jailed for five months has been cleared of all criminal charges and is seeking to be reinstated to the force with back pay.Officer Charles H. Carter, 40, a 14-year veteran, was released Monday from the Baltimore City Detention Center. He had been held there since October, when his bail was revoked after prosecutors alleged he tried to contact the woman who accused him of rape."There are travesties of justice, and this certainly was one of them," said Carter's lawyer, Thomas Kane.

We never needed an alarm clock in that old Guilford Avenue house in Charles Village. The hot-water heat pipes started clanging and banging about 6 in the morning, issuing a not-so-subtle wake-up call to the home's 12 inhabitants.As the 11th month of the year rolled around, the front grass would be coated with frost and the cellar's furnace would be making noises like the boilers on the Titanic.The furnace noises were actually something of a second warning. The day's first boom came before dawn.

On October 3, 2009, THELMA (JOY) WILSON. She is survived by a devoted niece Rowena Blake; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Memorial Services will be held on Saturday at March Funeral Home West Inc., 4300 Wabash Avenue at 1:30PM.

On August 7, 2009, BERNICE WILLIAMS. Beloved sister to Leroy Williams (Arnita) and Loretta Williams. Survived by niece Shera Williams and great niece Kimberly Rice and a host of other family and friends. Services will be held Thursday at the St. Peter Claver Roman Catholic Church 9:30 A.M. Wake, 10:00 A.M. Mass. Interment Following. Inquiries www.wyliefh.com.

On June 19, 2009, JOANNA E. (nee Quarles) CAMPBELL; beloved mother of Janice M. Cates, Diane L. Weeks (Michael) and Neil G. Cates; sister of Richard, Ronald, John, Gary Hudgins and Roslyn El-Amin; grandmother of Jason V. Johnson, Sharkira J. Weeks and Nikkia M. Weeks; great-grandmother of Amir M. Keene; niece of Grace Shelton and Frederick (Buster) Lonesome and is also survived by other nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends. On Thursday a memorial service will be held for Ms. Campbell at Vaughn C. Greene West Chapel, 5151 Baltimore National Pike where the family will receive friends from 11 to 11:30 A.M with services to follow.

BARBARA SMITH, 38, of Baltimore, raised in Millersville, MD, died suddenly on May 17. She leaves behind her loving mother, Joan Fowler; her sister, Leah Smith, and niece, Lexy Smith, each of Millersville; and her father, J. Rexford Smith, Jr., of FL. Survivors also include her beloved sons, Matthew, Nathan and Zachary; Matthew's one-year old daughter, Jaiden; her Aunt Margaret Embardino of Abingdon, her uncles Dennis McKernan of Lutherville and James McKernan...

On April 2, 2009, HOSEA T. BLACKWELL, devoted son of Geneva Blackwell of Baltimore; beloved brother of Jacqueline of Indianapolis, Joyce of Baltimore, and Laverne Blackwell of Beltsville, and Veronica Blackwell-Hairston (Jay) of New York. He is also survived by two nephews, one niece, one great-niece, and a host of other relatives and friends. Friends may visit the FAMILY OWNED MARCH FUNERAL HOME EAST, 1101 E. North Avenue, on Wednesday after 1 PM, with family hour from 5 to 7:30 PM. The family will also receive friends at Church of the New Covenant, 1909 N. Wolfe Street, on Thursday at 10 AM. Funeral services to follow at 11 AM.

On March 18, 2009, FRANCES ROBERTA, of Chestertown, MD, beloved sister of Ruth Thompson and Rebecca Hynson. She is also survived by a devoted niece, Violet Rose, two sisters-in-law, one brother-in-law, a host of nieces, nephews and friends. On Tuesday, March 24, 2009, Mrs. Wooten will be viewed at JAMES A. MORTON & SONS FUNERAL HOMES, INC., 1701 Laurens Street from 5 to 7 P.M. Funeral services will be Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at Asbury United Methodist Church, 8760 Georgetown Road, Chestertown, MD. The family will receive friends 10 to 10:30 A.M. followed by funeral service.

Perry Hall man dies of injuries in house fire Yan Chen, 53, who was injured while trying to rescue his wife and grandchild during a fire Friday at his Perry Hall home, died of his injuries over the weekend, authorities said. Chen was one of six members of an extended family living in a home in the 5000 block of Forge Haven Drive. He had initially escaped unharmed, but went back inside. Two neighbors found Chen collapsed in the foyer and carried him to safety, but he had suffered severe smoke inhalation and serious burns.

On February 12, 2009, THOMAS WAYNE ALBAUGH, of Westminster. He is survived by his aunt, Ruth Albaugh; niece, Christina Brundick; nephew, Eric Brundick, a great- niece, Alexandra Ray; and predeceased by a sister, Bonnie Gail Brundick. Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, February 21 at 11 a.m. at the Eline Funeral Home, 934 S. Main Street, Hampstead. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to The National Kidney Foundation, 30 E. 33rd Street, New York, NY 10016.

NEW YORK - At Sarabeth's restaurant on Central Park South, two young old friends are catching up and comparing notes over breakfast. Anyone seated nearby quickly learns the story. They met in graduate school; both hold MBAs. Both recently have joined the swelling ranks of America's unemployed. Their shared tales, if once unthinkable, are becoming increasingly familiar. First, blue-collar jobs disappeared. Now white collars are fading. The young and briefly affluent, accustomed to earning more than $75,000, suddenly have time on their hands, the latest victims of the current economic crunch.

On December 23, 2008, JOSEPH G. MITCHELL; son of the late Joseph and Bertha Mitchell. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Coryell and her husband Walter; his niece, Kathleen and nephew, Thomas Coryell. A memorial service will be held at a later date.