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Elizabeth Ward
Elizabeth Victoria "Sis" Spicknall Ward, 90, a resident of Lothian for 65 years, died Feb. 20, 2002 at Anne Arundel Medical Center after a brief illness.
A homemaker, Mrs. Ward was the daughter of the late William F. and Elizabeth Spicknall and was born in Harwood on Sept. 1, 1911.
She was a member of Mount Zion United Methodist Church and enjoyed flowers, cooking and her family.
Her husband of 55 years, John Earl Ward, died in 1987.
Surviving are two brothers, Wilmer Franklin Spicknall of Davidsonville and Warren Maclane Spicknall of Riva.
She was predeceased by two sons, Earle Franklin and John William Ward; and two brothers, James William and Henry Eugene Spicknall.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. today and noon to 2 p.m. tomorrow at Hardesty Funeral Home, 905 Galesville Road, Galesville. The funeral service will be at 3 p.m. tomorrow at Mount Zion United Methodist Church, 122 Bayard Road, Lothian. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
William Reese II, funeral home founder, dies
William "Bill" Reese II, 79, the founder of William Reese and Sons Mortuary, one of the oldest operating African-American-owned businesses in the county, died of a heart attack Feb. 22 at his home after a brief illness.
For more than 50 years, the family-owned and -operated funeral home has not only been a thriving business in Annapolis, but also a community fixture.
"He was a champion in many ways, for children and grownups, too, " said Larry Griffin, of Annapolis, a longtime family friend and activist.
"He was an angel for us. When people were down and out, he helped those who couldn't afford to pay for a funeral, " Mr. Griffin said.
"He was a humanitatian and also a historian, who traveled to Africa and always brought us back history."
Mr. Reese and his first wife, the late Eleanor Brown Reese, started the company in their home at 108 W. Washington St., and in 1971 moved to the current site at 821 West St. He retired from the firm in 1989, selling the business to his twin sons, Harry G. and Larry G. Reese of Annapolis. The 17, 000-square-foot facility averages 285 clients a year and has five full-time employees.
Born Dec. 13, 1922, in Lynch, Ky., he attended Gary District High School and Bluefield State College in West Virginia and received his degree in mortuary science from the Eckels Colelge of Mortuary Science in Pennsylvania.
In the early 1940s he moved to Baltimore with his grandmother. After a stint in the Air Force, he decided to go into the funeral business. It was difficult for him to get a business loan, but Annapolis Bank and Trust lent him $10, 000 to get started. The first year he had 35 clients, all of whom were African Americans, a fact of life in segregated Annapolis at that time. But "over the course of 50 years, all races have come to rely on the Reeses, " said an article in April 2000.
Mr. Reese and his second wife, Irene Reese, have worked in the community trying to help children. Twice a week they worked with others to teach children character, African culture and history of famous African Americans. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Annapolis and enjoyed traveling and sports.
In addition to his wife and twin sons, he is survived by two other sons, Derek E. and Derwin D. Ross of Annapolis; four daughters, Beverly McDaniel of Gary, W.Va., Catherine DeJesus of Annapolis, Tanya L. Taylor of Glen Burnie and Greer Y.R. McCullough of Oxon Hill; one sister, Blanche Glover of Los Angeles, Calif.; and numerous grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. tomorrow at Reese and Sons Mortuary, 821 West St. A Christian wake will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church, 31 W. Washington St., where funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in Maryland Veterans cemetery in Crownsville.
Gladys Conner
Gladys Geneva Conner, 92, of Severna Park and formerly of Indiana, died of heart failure at Cranberry Cottage in Pasadena after a brief illness.
Mrs. Conner, a homemaker, was born April 29, 1909, in Rockcastle, Ky., and attended Berea College in Kentucky.
She was a member of the Central Christian Church in Van Buren, Ind., president of the Home Economics Club, the Lioness Club and the American Legion Auxiliary, all in Indiana.
Surviving are two sons, Robert P. Conner of Severna Park and Charles R. Conner of Wilmington, Del.; eight grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
She was the widow of Charles I. Conner.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. March 27 at Ferguson Funeral Home, 201 W. Main St., Van Buren, where services will be at 11 a.m. March 28 at Central Christian Church. Burial will be in Van Buren Cemetery. Local arrangements are by Stallings Funeral Home in Pasadena.
Memorial contributions may be made to Central Christian Church, 201 S. First St., Van Buren, IN 46991, or Hospice of the Chesapeake, 8424 Veterans Highway, Millersville, MD 21108.
Diana Pratt
Diana Marie "Di" Pratt, 53, died March 18, 2002 of natural causes at her home in Laurel.
Miss Pratt was born April 11, 1948, and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, where she was educated in the Cleveland public school system. She lived for three years in Waldorf before moving to Laurel 18 months ago.
Miss Pratt was an executive secretary for Stephens, Aylward and Associates, an architectural firm in Laurel. She was a member of the Methodist faith. Her hobbies included reading, book collecting, and cooking.
She is survived by three brothers, William Pratt of Waldorf, Timothy Pratt of Severna Park and Frederick Pratt of Garrettsville, Ohio.; three sisters, Judith Pratt of Kent, Ohio, Nancy Pratt-Kantor of Cleveland and Anita Tomak of Medina, Ohio; two nieces; and seven nephews.
A memorial gathering will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the family home, 1756 Arbor St., Wickliffe, Ohio. Arrangements are by Adams Funeral and Memorial Care.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association, Attention: Ada Web, P.O. Box 1833 Merrifield, VA 22116. To place an on-line tribute in her memory, visit www.adamsfuneralcare.com.
Eleanor Vicks
Eleanor White Vicks, 82, of Greenville, S.C., and formerly of Severna Park, died March 16, 2002 in Greenville of complications of diabetes after a brief illness.
Born in Severna Park on May 7, 1918, Mrs. Vicks attended Jones Elementary School and graduated from the former Wiley H. Bates High School. She worked as a seamstress.
Her interests were travel and sewing.
Survivors include one son, Gabriel Vicks Jr. of Greenville; one brother, Earl White of Severna Park; and three grandchildren.
Her husband of 51 years, Gabriel Vicks Sr., died in January. She was the sister of the late Otis, Alexander and Roland White, Carrie Johnson and Viola Manns.
Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday with a Christian wake at 10 a.m. and funeral service at 10:30 a.m. at Wayman Good Hope A.M.E. Church, 100 Hoyle Lane, Severna Park. Burial will be in Carpenters Hill cemetery in Severna Park. Arrangements are by Reese and Sons Mortuary.
John Williams
John Alphonsa Williams, 64, of Lothian, died March 16, 2002 at Anne Arundel Medical Center after a lengthy illness.
Known as "Phonsie, " Mr. Williams was born Feb. 28, 1938 in the Waterbury area of Crownsville. He attended the former Wiley H. Bates High School.
He worked at Reliable Contracting Co. His interests included fishing, crabbing and listening to music. He was a member of Adams United Methodist Church in Lothian.
On Dec. 2, 1972, he married
Ruth Ann Pratt Williams.
Also surviving are two sons, Troy and Tony Williams of Annapolis; one daughter, Carlesa Williams of Laurel; five sisters, Edith Brewer, Mary Kirby, Alice Brown and Melius Williams of Annapolis and Shirley Poole of Glen Burnie; and nine grandchildren.
Viewing will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Adams United Methodist Church, 937 Bayard Road, Lothian, where a Christian wake will be at 10 a.m. and funeral at 11 a.m. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Arrangements are by Reese and Sons Mortuary.
