Mary Frances Kirkland

Mary Frances Maxwell Kirkland, 99, passed peacefully on February 13, 2021 at Severna Park Center Genesis Health Care.  She was born on September 3, 1921, on the Maxwell/Nixon Farm in Richmond, Ohio.  She attended Amsterdam High School in Ohio and West Liberty State College in West Virginia.  Mary was an avid vocalist and cornet player in both high school and college and performed on several radio stations during her college years.  After leaving college, Mary married her high school sweetheart, Arthur William Kirkland in 1943, who was stationed at Kingman Army Air Base, Arizona.  Mary taught for the next 32 years in Ohio, Oregon, and in Prince Georges County, Maryland.  She and Arthur then semi-retired  by owning and operating their small business, Arts Amoco Gas & Grocery in Rawlings, Maryland until 1984.  Mary  then moved permanently to their mountain home at Deep Creek Lake, Maryland.  She reconnected to her love for teaching and joined the staff at Garrett Community College- Career & Adult Learning  Division.  For 11 years Mary enjoyed her role with adults as an Intake/Counselor Specialist teaching resume writing, job interview techniques for re-entry women to make career decisions.  In 2000 she finally retired and moved to Park View Senior apartments to be near her family.  Mary loved sewing, quilting, ceramics, opera and choir music, and audio books. 

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, Arthur Kirkland in 1986; her sister Ruth Naomi Scott and brother- in-law Wilbur N. Scott, formerly from District Heights, Md.  She is survived by her son and daughter-in law; Richard & Dianne Kirkland of Severna Park, Md.   She was a proud “Grandma” to three married grandchildren: Brodie Kirkland (and wife Helen) of Locust Grove, Va.; Nicole Tello (and husband Joesph) of Severna Park, Md.; and Brett Kirkland (and wife Eileen) of Severna Park, Md.  She loved her role as a “Great-Grandma” to 6 great grandchildren: Isabelle & Arybelle Tello, and Aiden, Killian, Connor, Cashel Kirkland., Md.

A gravesite service will be determined at a later date; interment will be at Sunset Memorial Park, Cumberland, Maryland.