Mary Theresa Sterling

Services: A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 11:00 AM in St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Leonardtown, MD, with Fr. Rory Conly officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation: Public visitation will be in St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Leonardtown, MD on Monday, October 25, 2004 from 4 - 8 PM with Catholic Daughters prayers being said at 5:30 PM and prayers being said at 7:00 PM. Mary Theresa Sterling, 79, of Leonardtown, MD died October 20, 2004 in Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C. Born May 6, 1925 in Leonardtown, MD, she was the daughter of the late Lynwood Joseph and Ruth Camilier Sterling. Miss Sterling was one of seventeen children. She is survived by her sister, Mary Catherine Bell, Leonardtown, MD and her brothers, Walter Kirk Sterling, Leonardtown, MD and Hugh Dalton Sterling, White Plains, MD. She is also survived by her niece, Alice Rigby of Leonardtown, MD and other nieces and nephews along with a host of relatives and friends. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers and sisters, L. Edward Sterling, John B. Sterling, William O. E. Sterling, Francis C. Sterling, Ruth E. King, Nelson Sterling, James H. Sterling, Eleanor J. Sharpe, Harris B. Sterling, Ernest A. Sterling, Linwood J. Sterling, Jr., Lucille R. Cheseldine and an infant brother. She was a lifelong resident of Leonardtown and a graduate of St. Mary's Academy, Class of 1943. She was employed by the First National Bank of St. Mary's until her retirement. She was devoted to keeping the Sterling family together by having a reunion every Christmas and Easter. Beside the large Christmas tree she would hang at least 99 stockings at the fireplace for all of the family. At Easter she would fill at least 80 Easter baskets and hide them so the children would have to find them and would also have an Easter Egg Hunt for the children. Mary Theresa was there when anyone needed help. She was the Vice-President of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department; a member of the Catholic Daughters; the Ladies of Charity; St. Mary's County Fair Board; the Altar Sodality of St. Aloysius Church; and, the Southern Maryland Firemen's Association. She was also a member of the St. Mary's Hospital Auxiliary and worked in the gift shop and was a member of the Ladies Lioness Club of Leonardtown. Prayers for Miss Sterling were said on Monday, October 25, 2004 in St. Aloysius Church where a Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Tuesday, October 26, 2004 with Father Rory Conley officiating. Interment followed in St. Aloysius Cemetery. Pallbearers were Robert Sterling, Philip Armsworthy, Paul Lewis, Frank Sterling, Tommy Bell, Ernie Bell, and Andy Bell. Contributions may be made to the Ladies Auxiliary of the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department c/o Diane Bell, Treasurer, P. O. Box 145, Leonardtown, MD 20650 and/or the Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad, P. O. Box 299, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Arrangements provided by Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.