Briefs - Beltsville

Obituaries
Humphrey, William J.
William (Bill) Humphrey, 63, of Victor, Montana, formerly
of Beltsville, the beloved father of Joseph and Paul
Humphrey, passed away in Missoula, Montana on Friday,
January 21, 2005. He was born and raised in Beltsville, MD,
the son of the late Thomas C. and Ruth J. Humphrey. Bill
was a resident of Beltsville for over 20 years before moving
to California. He graduated from High Point High School
and was a former employee of the U.S. Postal Service. He
leaves his two sons, two brothers, Robert T. and George
C., and sister-in-law Doris V. Humphrey, all of Beltsville.
Numerous nieces and nephews and several friends also survive
him. Funeral services were held in California.
Pastellak, William C.
William C. Pastellak passed away on Tuesday, January
25, 2005. He was the beloved father of William P. Pastellak,
brother of Linda (John) McBride, Paul (Lynn) Pastellak,
Judy (Doug) Nagle and Gregg Pastellak; and uncle of John
and Lisa McBride, and Marcus and Ashleigh Nagle. Funeral
service and interment were held in Elmhurst, PA. Memorial
contributions may be made to St. Judeʼs Childrenʼs Hospital,
501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1905.
Mersdorf, Joanne R.
Joanne R. Mersdorf, a resident of Beltsville for 38 years,
passed away on February 21, 2005. She was the beloved
wife of Robert F. Mersdorf, and mother of Christie M.
Kirby, Robert T. (Lisa) Mersdorf, Peggy M. (Chuck) Bryant
and Kathy A Mersdorf. She was the grandmother of Rob
(Maria) Kirby, Alex Bryant and the late Loren Kirby, sister
of Helen (Robert) Lindmark and Don (Cleo) Rasmus. Also
survived by five great-grandchildren. Memorial service was
held at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3799 East West Highway,
Hyattsville, MD on Saturday, February 26 at 12:00
noon. Memorial contributions may be made to World War II
Memorial Fund, American Battle Monuments Commission,
P.O. Box 98147, Washington, D.C. 20090-8147, or Susan
Page 20 • The BELTSVILLE NEWS • MARCH 2005
G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 650309,
Dallas, TX 75265-0309.
Lopez, Anthony J.
Anthony J. “Tony” Lopez, 49, passed away on Monday,
February 7, 2005. Tony graduated from DeMatha High
School in 1974 and was an avid sports and music lover.
Tony was the son of the late Alejo and Helen Lopez of
Edmonston, MD. He is survived by sisters Helena Finerau
of Ormond Beach, FL and Carol Diaz of Beltsville, MD,
and by brothers James “Butch” Lopez of Deale, MD and
Donald Lopez of Roanoke, VA. The Lopez family held a
private memorial service at Gate of Heaven Cemetery on
Friday, February 11, 2005. His friends and family will miss
him but find comfort in the fact that he is at peace.
Thornton, T.J.
T.J. Thornton, the beloved son of Thomas L. (Peg)
Thornton Sr. and Sherry L. Croson passed away on Monday,
February 7, 2005. He was the brother of Kimberly
(Fred) Reed and Carrie (Stephen) Smith, grandson of William
and Lois Boyle, Emmett Croson and the late Frances
Croson, and Ernest and Cleone Thornton, and the uncle of
Amanda and Noah Reed. Many relatives and friends also
survive him. Relatives and friends called at Borgwardt
Funeral Home, 4400 Powder Mill Road, Beltsville, MD on
Thursday, February 10 from 2:00-4:00 and 7:00-9:00 p.m.
on Friday, February 11. Interment Fort Lincoln Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to
Central Special School, 140 Stepney Lane, Edgewater, MD
21037.
Bowers, Ralph W. “Bill”
Ralph W. “Bill Bowers of Beltsville died on February 1,
2005 at the age of 80. He was employed by County Chrysler
in Upper Marlboro for many years. He was a member of the
Beltsville Lions Club and served as its President in 1988-
89. He subsequently served in important volunteer positions
with District 22-C Lions as Zone and Region Chairman. He
made a significant donation to the Lions Vision Center of
the Wilmer Eye Clinic in Baltimore, and was honored with
the award of the Knights of the Blind Pyramid by the Lions
Vision Research Foundation in October 2004.
Bill was a member of the Beltsville Veterans of Foreign
Wars Post 10260 and had served as its Commander. He
was a veteran of WWII and served in the Pacific Theater
for some 13 months under combat conditions. He retired
from the United States Air Force with the rank of Master
Sergeant.
A memorial service for Bill Bowers was held at Borgwardt
Funeral home on Saturday, February 5, 2005 with the
Reverend Richard Shaw officiating. Billʼs life partner, Lucy
Moore, and his son, Stephen Bowers of Ocala, FL, survive
him. His daughter, Theresa Bowers Scott, was injured in an
automobile accident on February 14, 2005, and died of her
injuries the next day.
Zeigler, John Harley
John Harley Zeigler, age 88, died at home in Beltsville,
Maryland on Sunday, February 20, 2005. He was born on
July 21, 1916 in New Oxford, Pennsylvania.
A veteran of World War II, John was injured while serving
with the United States Army Expeditionary Forces in
the South Pacific.
After the war, John went to work for the Department of
Defense at the National Security Agency, taking an early
retirement in 1964. A talented and gifted gunsmith, John
then established Zeiglerʼs Custom Guns at his residence, a
business that fully occupied his time and energies. A lifetime
member of the National Rifle Association, John was
an avid outdoorsman and hunter. He relished the time spent
traveling and on the many hunting expeditions during his
retirement years.
John is survived by his wife, Myra Lee (nee Keesling)
Zeigler, a stepdaughter from his first marriage, Mary P.
Lewis of Lumberton, NC, and a stepson from his current
marriage, Archie Charles Meade of Santa Rosa, CA. He
also leaves several nephews and nieces.