Mary Christina Rolfes, 64

CHESTERTOWN, Md. - Mary Christina Rolfes, of Chestertown, joined her maker in Heaven Tuesday, May 13, 2008, after a long 15-month battle with lung cancer. She was 64.

She was born on Aug. 2, 1943, in Baltimore to Lawrence and Josephine (Remington) Parr who both preceded her in death.

Mary (Parr) graduated from Towson Catholic High School in 1961.

After 20 years of employment at AAI Corp. in Cockeysville she retired in 1999.

Upon moving to Cliff City, Mary was employed for a time at the Chesapeake College in Wye Mills and at the Kent County High School as a facilitator.

She spent much of her free time volunteering with Meals on Wheels and making home-care visits to senior citizens in the Chestertown area.

Beside her many grandchildren, she found gardening to be one her favorite past times.

Mary also loved the water and spent many hours boating, fishing and crabbing with her husband and grandchildren.

Also, she enjoyed playing hostess to her many friends and family members.

Mary, known as Tina to many, is survived by her husband, John P. Rolfes to whom she was married for 17 and a half wonderful years; her three siblings, Lawrence Parr and wife Dawn of Towson, Gloria Huber and husband Henry of Norrisville, and Michael Parr of Parkville; her seven children, Dawn Sweger and husband Dave of Shrewsbury, Pa., Donald Preston of Stewartstown, Pa., Deanna Racine and husband Joe of Orange Park, Fla., Karen Goodspeed and husband Shawn of Perry Hall, Pam Keffer and husband Tim of Phoenix, John Rolfes II and wife Tina of Timonium, and Michael Rolfes of Timonium; and her 13 grandchildren, Davey Sweger, Jere Preston, Brittany, Kayla, John Thomas and Joseph Racine, Max and Quinn Goodspeed, Jill, Cory and Alex Keffer, and Casey and Caroline Rolfes.

Family and friends are invited to gather 2-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Saturday in Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home, P.A., 130 Speer Road, Chestertown.

There will more than likely be a short religious service around 7:30. There will also be a Memorial Service and Celebration of Life on Aug. 2 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Chestertown.

Instead of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Mary's name to The American Cancer Society with a focus on lung cancer research or the Catastrophic Health Planners, Inc., 3000 Gamber Road, Suite 400, Finksburg, MD 21048; a friend of Mary's that created this non-profit organization for those with advanced medical needs to help improve the quality of life.