Oleatha Spencer
School custodian
Oleatha M. Simmons Spencer, a retired school custodian, died Saturday of a heart attack at Harbor Hospital Center. The Glen Burnie resident was 65.
She had worked as a custodian for nine years at Marley Elementary School in Anne Arundel County until retiring in 1972 on a medical disability.
The native of Bartow, Fla., was educated in schools there and moved to Glen Burnie in 1944 after her marriage to Garrison F. Spencer, who survives her. They divorced in 1971.
Services will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Central Church of Christ, 4301 Woodridge Road, Baltimore.
She is survived by six daughters, Margo E. Spencer of Glen Burnie, Carolyn Gwynn of Wilmington, Del., Debra I. Baskerville of Jackson, Miss., Robin G. Thomas of Sommerville, S.C., Dale S. Mundale of Pasadena and Marion E. Matthews of Arnold; a son, Garrison F. Spencer Jr. of Vernon, Conn.; a stepson, Sylvester N. Richards of Baltimore; a brother, Orlando Simmons of Chicago; a sister, Ernestine Drakeford of Brooklyn, N.Y.; 32 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and three special friends, Goldie Johnson of Glen Burnie, Mary Talbot of Pasadena and Margaret Wilkes of Baltimore. Ellen Sophia Edwards Thawley, a homemaker, died Saturday of complications from rheumatoid arthritis at Stella Maris Hospice. The Lutherville resident was 69.
During the 1940s, she worked for the Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. and the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
During the 1950s and early 1960s, she moved with her family to Albany, N.Y., Montreal and Chicago, and while living there studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, until returning to Lutherville in 1964.
The former Ellen Edwards was born and reared in Greensboro, Caroline County. She graduated from high school there in 1941 and attended Washington College in Chestertown.
She was active in Hunt's Memorial United Methodist Church where she had been a member for 35 years.
Services were set for 2 p.m. today at the church, 1901 W. Joppa Road, Riderwood.
She is survived by her husband of 51 years, Robert H. Thawley; a daughter, Ellen T. Madden of Towson; and several nephews and nieces.
Memorial donations may be made to the Arthritis Foundation, Maryland Chapter, 1777 Reisterstown Road, Suite 175, Baltimore 21208; or Hunt's Memorial United Methodist Church, 1912 Old Court Road, Riderwood 21139.