Anna Mae Lotz, 92
Devoted Wife, Mother, Grandmother, retired elementary school teacher and reading specialist, Anna Mae Lotz passed away peacefully on May 31, 2022.
Mrs. Lotz was born November 17, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the late Adolf B. Carlson aka Adolf B. Karlsen and Harriet Perditha Seymour. Anna Mae grew up in the suburbs of Washington D.C. She later moved to Towson, Maryland and then settled in their longtime home in Glen Arm, Md. The summers during her early years were spent with her maternal grandmother and great aunt and uncle in Reading, Pennsylvania. She had many happy memories working in her aunt and uncle's downtown store selling penny candy and school supplies.
She fell in love with her husband George when she was 19 years old and a student at Towson State Teachers College, now Towson University. They courted through her college years and while he served in the U.S Navy. She, her parents and siblings were the main subject of George's comic illustration series he called "Brown Eyes" which gained the title after her beautiful brown eyes. She loved him fiercely during their almost 67 years together including the 63 years they were married.
She began her teaching career at Rodgers Forge Elementary School and moved on to Villa Cresta where she participated in an experimental educational program that nurtured and placed students by their progress and not necessarily by their age. She often commented that this was one of the most effective educational environments that she had ever witnessed. She went on to be a much beloved 4th grade teacher at Carney Elementary School where she taught for over 20 years. She worked tirelessly with her students to increase literacy and educational opportunities.
From Carney, she went on to teach at Pine Grove Elementary prior to her retirement from the Baltimore County Public School system where she shared her passion for learning with thousands of children over the years. Anna Mae held degrees from Towson State Teachers College. She was awarded an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and went on to earn graduate degrees in Elementary Education and in Reading Education.
She was active in the Baltimore Actors Theater and performed in her younger years at Painters Mill Music Fair. She was multi-talented in the arts and could act, as well as, sing and play the piano.
After retirement, she went on to volunteer for St. Joseph's Hospital and also for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, where she served as staffing chair for the BSO Designer Showhouse for many years.
She and George enjoyed learning abroad and participated in many educational travel-related programs over the years. Anna Mae and her family traveled throughout the U.S and visited many territories and countries throughout the world, however, her favorite place to visit was in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. Here she would join with friends and family to hike, ride horses and enjoy the lakes.
In later life Anna Mae and George were well known amongst friends and family for never missing the opportunity to dance when Van Morrison's popular song, "Brown Eyed Girl" played.
The simplest pleasures brought great joy to Anna Mae. She found the most happiness spending time with her grandchildren and her ranch friends. Her zest for life was contagious, and that was most often displayed when she would spontaneously break into a louder than normal voice while singing during the Christmas Eve church service.
In addition to her parents; she was preceded in death by her siblings, James Carlson, Frederick Carlson, Gerald Carlson, George Carlson and Geraldine Green.
Anna Mae will be greatly missed by her daughter, Georgeanna Windley of Dover, DE; grandchildren, Tara Coffman and her husband Glen of Manhattan, KS and Michael Windley and his wife Lindsay of Crofton, MD. She is survived by her many nieces, nephews, and her family members in Norway. She also will be missed by her many friends and former work colleagues from Carney, the Bendix retirement group, Ridin Hy Ranch, and her grief support group from Gilchrist Hospice.
Her family would like to thank the staff at both the Crab Deck in Grasonville and the Country Eatery in Dover for the careful attention they paid to her during her illness.
Her family is also grateful for the care she received at BayHealth Medical Center, the Hope Clinic and especially by all others who helped her during her illness, especially Anita, Viola, and Sarah. She was especially grateful for the care she received by her retina specialist Dr. Jeffery Benner who cared for her when she had to temporarily relocate to Dover due to COVID. She was elated to learn that Dr. Benner had been one of the 4th grade students.
A celebration of her life will be held on Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 2 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, 209 S. State Street, Dover, Delaware. Visitation with the family will occur immediately after the service. A zoom call option will also be available.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions be made to Wesley UM Church, 209 S. State Street, Dover, DE 19901 or Kent School, 6788 Wilkins Ln., Chestertown, MD 21620, or the Long Green Volunteer Fire Company, 4506 Long Green Rd., Glen Arm, MD 21057.
To send letters of condolence, view the full obituary and sign the guestbook, visit www.torbertfuneral.com