Loretta McC. Barrett, a retired Realtor whose career spanned 50 years, died of leukemia Tuesday at her Parkville home. She was 90.
The daughter of Henry Lightner McCulloh, a stonemason, and Loretta Greene McCulloh, a homemaker, Loretta Catherine McCulloh was born in Baltimore and raised on East 41st Street and on Cator Avenue.
Mrs. Barrett was born into an old Baltimore family. Her great-grandfather was Henry Lightner, the drummer boy at Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. Her father later donated Henry Lightner's drum to the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Museum.
"Baltimore's McCulloh Street is named after her family," said her daughter, Barbara Barrett Clapp of Homeland.
Mrs. Barrett was a graduate of Eastern High School and Strayer's Business College in Baltimore. She began her career working in a bank before joining builders Laird, Rock and Small.
In 1955, she earned her real estate license while working for Bob Seifert Real Estate, which later merged with O'Conor, Piper & Flynn.
She rose to manager of the firm's Timonium office, the company's highest-grossing office for many years, and regularly achieved million-dollar annual sales status.
At the time of her 2005 retirement, Mrs. Barrett was working for the real estate brokerage company NRT, which had acquired O'Conor, Piper & Flynn and Coldwell Banker in 2002.
She volunteered at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Turn Around and with various veterans organizations. A resident of Parkville for nearly 40 years, Mrs. Barrett was a Baltimore Colts and Ravens fan. She was also a talented artist who created portraits in oil.
A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday at the Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home, York and Overbrook roads in Rodgers Forge.
In addition to her daughter, Mrs. Barrett is survived by a son, John Carroll Barrett of Davis, Calif.; two sisters, Bernardine Mary McCulloh Madden of Loch Raven Village and Gertrude Alice McCulloh Wensien of Overlea; and two grandchildren. Her marriage to Donald Barrett ended in divorce.