Mary J. Elder, 68

Housekeeping supervisor

By Frederick N. Rasmussen

July 24, 2008

Mary J. Elder, a retired hotel housekeeping supervisor and former longtime Essex resident, died Sunday of cancer at her home in Ocean Springs, Miss. She was 68.

Mary Jane Gummer was born in Baltimore and raised along Sue Creek in Essex. She attended Kenwood High School until she dropped out to help support her family.

Mrs. Elder worked in a dime store in the Essex-Middle River area and later for Henderson-Webb Inc., an apartment management company that owned properties in the area.

In 1994, she moved to Ocean Springs and went to work for Grand Casino and Island View Hotel in Biloxi, Miss., as a housekeeping supervisor. She retired in 2006.

Mrs. Elder was a member of the Moose Lodge in D'Iberville, Miss.

She enjoyed deep-water fishing, gardening and listening to country music.

At her request, no services will be held.

Surviving are two sons, Glenn Haddox of Fredericksburg, Va., and Kevin Hunter of Trinity, N.C.; two daughters, Linda McCarter Chodzko of Ocean Springs and Terri Wells of San Antonio; four grandsons; and her partner, Whip Watford of Ocean Springs. Three marriages ended in divorce.