Obituaries

WWII Vet "Rube" Jacobson, 95; Music Teacher Brunner, 92: Howard County Death Notices

Jacobson spent part of his life working in thoroughbred racing in Maryland. Read death notices posted this week at funeral homes in Howard County.

Click on the name of the deceased to read the full death notice. Additional information about the deceased is provided if it's included in the funeral home's notice. You can submit an obituary or death notice, for free, to andrew.metcalf@patch.com.

Harry H. Witzke's Family Funeral Home, Inc.
Location: 4112 Old Columbia Pike, Ellicott City

Olga Louise Brunner died peacefully at Vantage House in Columbia on Nov. 15. A graduate of Oberlin College and a lifelong educator, Brunner taught music in Iceland, Cleveland and Pittsburgh before settling in Maryland in 1965. She worked as a faculty member at Western Maryland College (now McDaniel) and enjoyed cooking and traveling with her late husband, Robert Brunner, who she was married to for 62 years. A memorial service for Brunner will be held at Vantage House on Jan. 11 from 6 to 7 p.m. She was 92.

Samuel "Rube" Jacobson, 95, a World War II veteran who served in the Pacific Theater for the U.S. Navy aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard died on Dec. 12. Rube, as his friends called him, was born in Angola New York, raised in Buffalo and moved to Maryland after the war. He was a popular presence at a local Ellicott City poker group. During the 1960s and '70s he worked in thoroughbred racing in MD as a trainer and jockey agent. After that, for two decades, he worked at the Port of Baltimore as a member of ILA Local 953.

Cornelius A. Dudzinsky, 70, died on Dec. 13. He was the husband of Barbara Dudzinsky and father of Cornelius, Rachael, Megahn and Kristen.

Rose Grace Vassallo, the wife of the late Charles Vassallo and mother of John M. Vassallo, died on Dec. 12. She was 84.

John Janis Straumanis, Jr. died on Dec. 16. He was 78.

Slack Funeral Home, P.A.
Location: 3671 Old Columbia Pike, Ellicott City

William Benson III, 70, the husband of Linda Benson and father of William Benson IV, and Todd Benson, died on Dec. 11. 
Ruth Eleanor Brady, of Elkridge, died on Dec. 4 at the age of 78.

Witzke Funeral Homes, Inc.
Location: 5555 Twin Knolls Road, Columbia

Helen Orrico Abitabilo, of Columbia, died on Dec. 9. Abitabilo was a New York City native, who lived in the Bronx with her husband Tom Abitabilo before retiring to Pompano Beach, FL. They lived there for 15 years before relocating to Columbia in 2000. She was married to her late husband, Tom, for 70 years. She was 94.
Faith Marie Johnson, of Belgium, formerly of Columbia, died on Dec. 5. She was the wife of Robert T. Johnson and the mother of William R. Johnson and Anna M. Johnson. She was 57.
Barbara Jean Wovas, 72, died on Dec. 15.
Gary L. Kaufman Funeral Home at Meadowridge Memorial Park
Location: 7250 Washington Blvd., Elkridge

Douglas Robert Morin, of Elkridge, died on Dec. 15. He was 60.

Shirley Moore died Dec. 3. She was 77.

Clarissa F. LaFon died Dec. 7. She was 90.

Patricia Ruth Sinnott, the wife of Gerard "Rod" Sinott and mother of Deborah Carter, Denise Tumminello, Gerard F. Sinnott, Jr. and Gayle Sinnott died on Dec. 10 at the age of 81.

Anna Mary Furbee, 85, died Dec. 9.

Ruben Perry McBee, Jr., died Dec. 11 at the age of 91. He was the father of Lita Lemaster, Lavone Furman, James McBee, Glen McBee and the late Ronald Stanley McBee. 

Stanley P. Stupi, 92, died on Dec. 8.

Shirley L. Moore died Dec. 3. She was 77.



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