Archive for the 'Obiturary' Category
The Baltimore Sun describes A. Robert Kaufman as:
a lifelong civil rights activist, political gadfly and socialist who ran for just about every office ranging from Baltimore City Council to president of the United States
Mr. Kaufman, the self-described socialist in the Democrat party, died early Christmas morning at the age of 78. He had been in ill health which deteriorated quickly after someone he was renting space to attacked him to the point that he needed a kidney transplant.
When I first met Mr. Kaufman, I was doing my first tour at WNAV (1430AM) and he was apart of a candidate forum for U.S. Senate in 2006. He was an interesting guy who was proud to show off his work fighting for civil rights.
He was never married, not did he have children. He leaves behind a sister, Ruth Lipsetts, who is his only surving relative. A Robert Kaufman died at Northwest Hospital in Randallstown. The Baltimore native graduated from The Park School and later attended Goddard College, Johns Hopkins University and Morgan State University.
Longtime Prince George’s Delegate Pauline Menes (D-Dist. 21) died over the weekend. She was 84.
The Baltimore Sun says that Menes was apart of the Democratic wave of 1966 that brought Ben Cardin and Paul Sarbanes to the House and Steny Hoyer to the state Senate. Cardin is holding the U.S. Senate seat that Sarbanes once held, while Hoyer is U.S. House Majority Leader.
Menes was born in New York, a graduate of Hunter College. She went on to become co-founder and first chair of the caucus of women legislators in Annapolis. In addition, she was also the first woman to sit on the House Judiciary Committee.
Her husband, Melvin Menes, preceded her in death in 2000. She is survived by three daughters.
In leiu of flowers, expressions of sympathies can be made to:
The Pauline Menes Fund at the Maryland Women’s Heritage Center
PO Box 719
Brooklandville, MD 21022-0719
Christine Sarbanes, wife for former U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes and current U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes (D-3rd) died of cancer at her home in the Guilford section of Baltimore over the weekend at the age of 73.
The native of England was an educator who taught at the Gilman School and Goucher College.
She and Paul Sarbanes were married in 1960. Also surviving her are another son, a daughter and six grandchildren.
More from The Baltimore Sun.
Former Harford County Councilwoman and Delegate Joanne S. Parrott (R) was found dead at her home in Fallston.
Ms. Parrott, a native of Ephrata, Pa. served on the county council from 1986-1998 representing District B. She served her last four years on the council as President. From 1998-2006, she represented District 35A in the House of Delegates, before losing to Donna Stifler in the Republican Primary.
During her time in the house, she served on the Commerce and Government Matters Committee and the Economic Matters Committee. She had membership with the Women Legislators of Maryland, Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, Maryland Rural Caucus and Taxpayers Protection Caucus.
She was also a co-founder of the Bel Air-based Highlands School, a private institution for children in kindergarten through eighth grade who have learning differences and disabilities. She was a member of the school’s board of directors.
Ms. Parrott, a widow, is survived by two children. She was 68.
some information taken from The Baltimore Sun.
Donald Praisner, who filled the District 4 seat of the Montgomery County Council following the death of his wife, long-time councilwoman Marilyn Praisner, has died following colon cancer surgery. He was 76. Donald Praisner died nearly one year to the day that he was preceeded in death by his wife.
Mr. Praisner lived in Montgomery County for over 60 years. He was a graduate of Montgomery Blair High School and the University of Maryland. He served three years in the Army and worked for the CIA for 30 years. Before joining the council, he was Vice President of the Calverton Citizens Association, President and board member of CHI, Inc, an organization that serves those with severe disabilities and member of the Colesville Strawberry Festival.
Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett (D) in a statement said that Mr. Praisner lived a life marked by integrity, commitment to excellence, and duty.
“We are a richer Montgomery County because Don Praisner lived and this is a great loss to the County he loved. We will miss his leadership and his activism,” Leggett said. He added that Mr. Praisner represented the constituents of District 4 on the County Council for eight months, demonstrating his intellect, humor, refreshing candor and “taking up the work begun by his dear Marilyn.”
County Council President Phil Andrews (D-Dist. 3) said that at a time when Mr. Praisner could have stayed retired following his wife’s death, he decided that it was not only important to carry on her legacy, but to make sure his constituents were well represented.
Council Vice President Roger Berliner (D-Dist. 1) said that Mr. Praisner’s service to our Council and our community was all too brief. “He was inspired by his wife’s legacy, sought valiantly to extend it, and did so with a gentle, unassuming spirit.”
Donald Praisner is survived by three adult children and four grandchildren.
This week in The Gazette, Blair Lee takes looks at Marylanders of note who have passed on.
Harford County School Superintendent Dr. Jacqueline C. Haas died suddenly last Tuesday (December 30) due to complications with Asthma. She was 59.
Dr. Hass was the leader of Harford County Schools for 11 of the 31 years she has been apart of the school system. She was a special education teacher for 13 years before becoming an adminstrator in 1990. She was named Interim Superintendent of schools in March 1998 before being named permanent Superintendent in 1999.
She is survived by her husband Jim a retired Harford County teacher and two sons. A public viewing was held over the weekend at the Tarring-Cargo Funeral Home along with a family memorial service at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Aberdeen. In addition to flowers, donations can be made to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
Additional Information from The Baltimore Sun.
Ed Boyd was the Green Party candidate for Governor. He was the first gubernatorial candidate for his party in addition to being the first black candidate for governor in the free state.
He worked as a recruiter for a staffing agency. He was a member of Veterans for Peace, the Green Party community outreach and co-chairman of the Charm City Greens.
Boyd succumbed to lung cancer on August 11 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Baltimore, nearly a year after he was diagnosed with the disease, he was also just shy of a birthday. Boyd was 46 years old.
Sources: WBAL-TV (Channel 11) and The Washington Post.
