Dorothy May Schawatka, a retired Baltimore public school educator whose career spanned 40 years, died of pneumonia Nov. 30 at her Chestertown home. She was 97.

Born Dorothy May Holmes in Centreville, she moved to Baltimore, where she was reared in the city's Waverly neighborhood. A graduate of Eastern High School, she earned her bachelor's degree from Goucher College in 1926. She later earned a master's degree in education from Columbia University.

She began her career in the late 1920s, and taught at Eastern High School, Patterson Park High School and Southern High School.

She later served as vice principal at Patterson High School and Southern High School, from which she retired in the late 1960s.

She was married for 25 years to John H. Schawatka Sr., who died in 1970.

Mrs. Schawatka moved to Chestertown that year, after residing for many years in Sparks. She was an avid gardener and orchid grower.

She was a communicant of St. Paul Episcopal Church in Chestertown where services were held Wednesday.

Mrs. Schawatka is survived by a sister, Anna Holmes of Ruxton; two stepsons, John H. Schawatka Jr. of Butler and Owen L. Schawatka of Denton; and two stepdaughters, Mildred R. Head of Laurel, Del., and Emily Nannette Kleppinger of Dingman's Ferry, Pa.