Marie Erlenback Stevens

Marie Helen Erlenback Stevens, 97, passed peacefully into the arms of her heavenly father at the stroke of noon on December 13, 2011. The bells of Frederick's Clustered Spires tolled a welcome as she began her next journey.

Born June 29, 1914, in Syracuse, New York, she was the daughter of Eugene Henry and Maria (Tetzner) Erlenback.

After graduating from Syracuse City Normal School in 1930, she taught in a one-room school house in East Syracuse. She subsequently worked in the Mayor's Office at Syracuse's City Hall, as Advertising Manager for Syracuse Supply Company, in the Dean of Women's Office at Syracuse University and retired in 1976 as Office Manager for the Syracuse YWCA. She relocated to Maryland in 1995 to be close to her daughters and became a resident of The Record Street Home in downtown Frederick in 2001.

She was a classically-trained contralto, sang on local radio stations in Syracuse and was a faithful church musician for over 60 years. She was contralto soloist at First United Methodist Church and at Temple Adath Yeshuren in Syracuse, NY.

A member of Civic Morning Musicals, Business and Professional Women and Zonta while in Syracuse, after moving to Maryland she was a member of Friendship Circle and S'Ages and sang in the choir at Middletown United Methodist, where she was the congregation's oldest member.

She was the widow of George Orson Stevens, Jr. to whom she was married for 31 years before his death in 1977. She is survived by her daughters, Lisa (Mrs. Michael) Coles of Middletown, MD, Kathleen "Kate" Murfitt of Watertown, MA, son George W. Stevens and wife Marie of Bridgeport, NY, and Mark Stevens of St. Petersburg, FL; grandchildren Geoffrey Murfitt and wife Christy, Salem, MA, Jennifer Coles and partner Dayna Morgan of West Palm Beach, FL, Alissa Murfitt of Somerset, MA, Dr. Tiffany Stevens of Phoenix, AZ, and Courtney Coles of Middletown, MD; great-grandsons Ben and Aaron Murfitt of Salem, MA. Also surviving are her former son-in-law, Peter Murfitt, Venice, FL, niece Jean Murlin, N. Syracuse, NY, sister-in-law Betty Stevens Banuski of Syracuse, NY, and nephew Gary Banuski. She was predeceased by her brother Charles Erlenback and sisters, Caroline (Mrs. Lawrence) Jones and Ruth (Mrs. Kenneth) Murlin and nephews Paul Murlin and John David Banuski.

She also is survived by her "sisters" at the Record Street Home in Frederick, where she has lived for the past 10 years and been tended to by a remarkable staff of care-giving angels. The family will be eternally grateful for the love and compassion she received while a resident there.

A memorial service and celebration of her life will be held in early summer at Middletown United Methodist Church. Inurnment will follow in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Frederick.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that remembrances be sent in her honor to The Record Street Home, 115 Record St., Frederick, MD 21701. Arrangements conducted by the Keeney & Basford Funeral Home and online condolences may be left at keeneybasford.com