After more than 20 years in the Carroll County school system, Helen Anita Metz retired to Ocean City, only to discover that her passion for nurturing through education wouldn't let her stay at home. The former teacher and principal volunteered at the Ocean City library and went on to become an assistant librarian, playing a vital role in children's programs.
Mrs. Metz died of cancer March 21 at the Gilchrist Hospice Care in Towson. She was 81.
"I don't think that anybody that came into the library or worked there could be anything but saddened at the loss of this woman. That's the impact she had," said Andrea Schlottman of Ocean Pines, a retired manager of the Ocean City branch of the Worcester County Library System.
"She was a no-nonsense lady. She dotted every 'i' and she crossed every 't,' and because she worked in elementary schools, she was a great adviser on children," she added. "And the children loved her — oh my God, they loved her."
The sentiment was shared at Sandymount Elementary School, where Mrs. Metz served as principal in the 1990s and chaired the construction committee when the school was expanded. In October 1992, Mrs. Metz's name was initially not included on a commemorative plaque recognizing the people behind the expansion — an omission that upset the school's staff and parents.
The next month, the Carroll County school board voted to pay $1,000 to recast the commemorative plaque with Mrs. Metz's name included. School officials said the omission of her name was an oversight.
"She was the kind of person that gave you the motivation and the inspiration to do the work you could," said Sandra Zebal of Westminster, a reading specialist with the Carroll County schools. "She had high expectations but was very supportive of her staff."
The daughter of Clarence J. Morningstar and the former Elsie T. Forthuber, Helen Anita Morningstar was raised in the Gardenville section of Baltimore. She graduated from Catholic High School in 1951.
She earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from what was then Towson State Teacher's College in 1955 and later earned a master's degree in education at Western Maryland College — now McDaniel College — in 1980.
While studying at Towson, she met a fellow student, F. Allen Metz. They were married in January 1956 in Frankfurt, Germany, where he was stationed with the Army. They returned to Baltimore, where she taught elementary school in Baltimore City and raised their daughters.
In the early 1970s, the family moved to Carroll County, where Mrs. Metz taught at Taneytown Elementary School, working with children who had dyslexia and other learning disabilities. She went on to become the school's principal and also served as principal at Freedom Elementary and Sandymount Elementary.
Mrs. Metz retired to Ocean City in 1994, about seven years after the death of her husband.
Mrs. Metz worked at both the Berlin and Ocean City libraries until 2012.
She was chair of the Delmarva Irish American Club's scholarship committee, as well as a member of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians. She was also a passionate Ravens fan.
"Whatever cards she was dealt, she handled it in a very graceful way," said Ms. Zebal. "She taught me not to be so surprised about the things that happened in life. I remember sometimes I would tell her about something that happened to me and I'd say, 'Can you believe it?' and she'd say, 'Yeah, I can.' That helped me a lot, that little attitude of hers. And it was the same with her illness. She wasn't surprised, and she accepted it with great aplomb."
Said her daughter, Dallas Metz Dolan of Glen Arm, "She was a spirited and fun lady — a real individual and an authentic, genuine, caring person."
A prayer service will be held at 2 p.m. April 11 at Emmanuel United Church of Christ in Freysville, Pa. A celebration of her life will be held at the Mowbray farm in Silver Run at 2 p.m. May 16.
In addition to her daughter, she is survived by another daughter, Martine Metz Bernstein of Red Lion, Pa.; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.