Anne O'Grady

Anne Schaefer was a shy and quiet person all of her life but she was always there for friends and family. Anne was born and grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey and completed a program of study at the prestigious Katharine Gibbs School in NYC. She married Francis O’Grady in 1953 and they remained married for 59 years until his death. Their final home was in Laurel, Maryland.

Anne was a generous and caring person who maintained lasting connections with family and a small group of close friends across decades and continents. Vacations were spent visiting extended family and friends all over North America, especially Ontario Canada, Georgia, Florida, New York, and New Jersey.

Before it became a means of staying in touch with born and chosen family, travel was a way of life for Anne; she and her daughters followed Frank through myriad moves across the USA, Mexico, Hawai'i, Kwajalein (in the present day Marshall Islands) and dozens of other places where civil engineers were needed to build radar tracking stations.  Through each relocation, Anne was the firmly anchored center of a constantly moving home, before ultimately settling in Howard County, Maryland for her final 50 years.

Anne’s faith was her foundation and the driving force behind a lifetime of service to others. During the years her children grew up, and for decades beyond, she volunteered at local thrift shops, Meals on Wheels, and myriad other charities through the Lutheran Church. She is survived by her sister Elsie, 2 daughters, Dianne and Eileen, 6 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren and 18 nieces and nephews. She was well-loved by all. 

Services will be at 10am on Wednesday, 5/18 at Our Savior Lutheran Church (13611 Laurel Bowie Rd) with family receiving guests immediately after. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorial contributions be made to the American Parkinson’s Disease Foundation 

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