Published on: Wednesday, March 03, 2010

By Mary McHale

70 years in Sunday School

Ruth Bernice Sellner, of Camp Springs and a lifelong member of Bells United Methodist Church, died Jan. 12 at the age of 91. She was born July 12, 1918 to William and Ruth Pyles Affron, on her grandparents’ truck farm adjacent to Bells Church on land that’s now a part of Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility. She was delivered by her uncle, Dr. Chester Pyles.

As a child, she was lovingly taught to sew by her grandmother, Alice Jane Pyles, and took piano lessons from Catherine Carrico Sampsel. She first attended school in Washington, then at Camp Springs School. In 1936 she graduated from Surrattsville High School.

Ruth met her future husband, Charles William Sellner, at the corner near Bells’ old white church. In time they married and had three daughters. After taking classes at Strayer College and mastering the Addressograph-Multigraph machine, she went to work for the D.C. Procurement Office.

She began teaching Sunday School when she was 14 and continued for 70 years. She was a member of Bells’ Quilters and enjoyed china painting with her friend Mary Crowley.

Her husband Charles died 10 years ago. She was the mother of Bonnie Jo Ann and Charlene Yvonne Sellner and Nancy Jane Costello; sister of David Affron and the late Helen Johnston Tate; grandmother of Melissa and Christopher Costello. Pastor Gerald L. Elston conducted the service at Bells Church. Music was by Bonnie Sellner and The Brethren and readings were by Cynthia Newton, Beverley Bailey Watts, JoAnn Grimes, and Charlene Sellner. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Suitland High grad, class of ’59, dies

Robert Lee “Bob” Ditmars Sr., longtime Morningsider and GPO retiree, died Feb. 10 at his home in Owings. He was 68.

He was born April 13, 1941 in Washington to Myron Lee and Helen Campbell Ditmars and grew up in a home at 309 Woodland Road in Morningside. His parents were among the founders of the Town of Morningside and his father Lee (as he was known) served on the Town Council from 1974 to 1976.

Bob graduated from Suitland High School in 1959 and went to work for the Government Printing Office as a printer. In 1963, he enlisted in the Army and served with the Signal Corps until 1966. He returned to the GPO for 31 more years, finally retiring in 1997. He was a member of the Printers’ Local 185 of the Graphic Communications Conference/International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

He moved from District Heights to Owings in 1975. He enjoyed fishing, weight lifting and cooking.

His parents, Lee and Helen, died three months apart in 2003. Bob is survived by four children, Robert Lee Jr., Charles Lee and David Wayne Ditmars, and April Lynn Welch; four grandchildren; and brothers Frank and Mike Ditmars.

Neighbors

Kendra MacLean, a textile design major at Philadelphia University’s College of Textiles, recently participated in a Foamex competition. Her group finished second with a project involving presentation of a bedding topper and appropriate packaging. She is the daughter of Audrey Pridgen-MacLean, of Skyline Drive.

I’m collecting Snow Heroes, those who helped their neighbors during the recent snowstorms.

Here are few names I’ve been given: Ashby Harmon, Floyd Shields, Fred and Joan Newman, Shirley Holmes and her family, Mehret Woldu, all of Skyline, and Sylvester Davis, of Clinton. I want to add my son-in-law who drove from Laurel to shovel out my sidewalk and driveway.

Monsignor Michael Farina, 86, who died Feb. 10, was former pastor of Mount Calvary and Holy Spirit parishes in Forestville, and associate pastor of Holy Family in Hillcrest Heights. He was founder and director of Paul VI Institute for the Arts in Washington and one of the founders of the Catholic Historical Society.

Applause

Barry Schlossberg, of Upper Marlboro, is the recipient of the annual Prince George’s County Civic Federation Cup Award—an award that recognizes continuous service to the community. His service work includes Volunteers in Police Services, Community Emergency Response Team, District Five Citizens’ Advisory Council and the Department of Public Works & Transportation’s community partners group.

Milestones

Happy birthday to Angela Hutchinson, Feb. 27; Gerry Joliffe, Feb. 29; Winifred Lanehart and Charlie Fortner, March 1; Karen (Elborne) Stern and Harold Titus, March 2; and Jennifer Vilky, March 3. Also, in memory of the late Bob Smith whose birthday was Feb. 16. Bob was treasurer for the Morningside Fire Department for 30 years.

Happy anniversary to Clifford and Nancy Lantz on Feb. 26 and to Freda and Michael McDonald, their 30th on Feb. 28.