Elizabeth Edmondo - Obituary

lizabeth "Betty" F. Edmondo passed peacefully on May 6, 2013 at her home of over 60 years on the South River, surrounded by her family. She was born at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore on March 9th, 1924, the child of A. Gordon Fleet and Lillian Fleet (Nee Ainsworth). She was well known in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County as a singer, business owner and volunteer. She graduated Annapolis High School at age 15, and went on to study at Mary Washington College. She went to work for Robert H. Goddard (Father of U.S Rocketry) as his personal secretary in 1942. Dr. Goddard was working at the Marine Experiment Station on Jet Assisted Take-off, but Betty could remember him dictating patents and papers on how a man could fly to the moon, and what he would need to get there. Following her position with Dr. Goddard, she worked for the American Trucking Association in Washington D.C., meanwhile studying voice at Peabody Institute in Baltimore and Julliard School of Music in New York. She took business courses at her mother's Fleet Business School before she embarked on a music career in New York City. In New York, she sang with a group called the Four D'Lovelies, including touring the Borscht Circuit and playing the Palace Theater. She then decided to return to Annapolis and marry William Frederick Flood, Jr. Together they raised five children. While raising her family, she also found time to sing solo concerts in NY, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., Baltimore and Annapolis. She was a soloist and choir member at St. Anne's in Annapolis for many years, and sang as a soloist with the Washington Opera Guild and The Annapolis Symphony. She also taught shorthand and etiquette at Fleet Business School, did bookkeeping for Flood's Firestone and volunteered many hours at her children's schools. At age 48, following Bill's death, she stepped in to run the family tire dealership, while still taking care of five teenagers and maintaining her singing career. She appeared in Annapolis Opera Company's production of the "Medium" in 1974. In that year she met her husband Peter Edmondo. During this next period of her full life, she also served as a Vestry member at St. Anne's Church for two terms 1977-1983, a board member at London Town Foundation for nine years, on the board of directors at Samaritan House, and on the Board of the Annapolis Opera Company, while continuing to sing in St. Anne's choir. She also served on the St. Anne's organ committee, which acquired and installed the wonderful instrument that is there today. She was inducted into the Annapolis High School Wall of Fame in 2000. Pete and Betty enjoyed almost forty years of marriage, volunteering together in her later years in the Partners in Care program. Betty was an avid Orioles fan, watching every game. She was a cat lover and a passionate and talented gardener. She enjoyed looking over the many flower gardens she created herself. Her "rock garden" contains hundreds of rocks from Main Street in Annapolis. These rocks were originally used as ballast for ships unloading in Annapolis harbor. She transported them by station wagon loads from Annapolis to her Edgewater home. She is survived by her children: W.F. Flood III (Susan), Elizabeth Fischer (Scott), John R. Flood, David G Flood (Mary) and Suzanne Scarborough (Dale). She is also survived by two step-children: Elizabeth Beedenbender (Mark) and Peter Edmondo; three grandchildren: Sarah, Jack and Elizabeth; and four step-grandchildren. Friends are invited to Betty's celebration of life from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, at George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 10, at St. Anne's, Church Circle, Annapolis. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to Hospice of the Chesapeake, 445 Defense Hwy., Annapolis, MD 21401.