Marie "Mitzi" Loftus - Obituary

arie “Mitzi” Sterle Loftus, age 90, passed away peacefully in Reston, VA on December 7, 2024. Mitzi was a loving wife, devoted mother of six, and proud grandmother of twenty who celebrated and cherished her family and friends. She enjoyed golf, card playing, quilting, counted cross stitch, and Slovenian Polka dancing. Her zest for life touched many. She embraced her Slovenian heritage by imparting her love of music, dancing, baking, and community to her family and friends. A long-time resident of College Park, Maryland, she was an active member of Holy Redeemer Church and School. Moving to Edgewater in 1997, Mitzi was choir member, an active parishioner, and benefactor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Davidsonville, where she volunteered to transport the elderly to church and to cater funeral receptions. Mitzi also volunteered for the Anne Arundel County Public Library. Born January 8, 1934 in Cleveland OH, Mitzi graduated from Collinwood H.S. and worked as a switchboard operator for General Electric, including modeling as a Civil Defense worker in the early 1950s. She met and married a young man of Irish descent, her late husband, William “Bill” E. Loftus, on November 22, 1956, amidst an epic Cleveland snowstorm. In 1967 Mitzi and Bill moved from Cleveland to College Park, MD. In addition to raising six children, Mitzi worked at Litton Industries in College Park, and served as Secretary for the University of Maryland Band Department for many years. She also served as the “First Lady” of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association. She tirelessly supported ASLRAA and helped host many events over the years. She is predeceased by her husband, her siblings Loretta (Zust), John, Leonard, Richard, Eugene, Edward, and Pauline (Lukash). She is survived by her children and grandchildren: William Loftus, and wife Ruth, of Blue Bell, PA (grandchildren: Colleen, Will, Patrick, and Sean), Barry Loftus, and wife Kim, of Lafayette, IN (grandchildren: Julie, Caroline, and Kathleen), Timothy Loftus, and wife Rebecca, of North Potomac, MD (grandchildren: Allison, Andrew, and Thomas), Paul Loftus, and wife Sara, of Huntington, WV (grandchildren: Clare, Colin, and Neil); Jeffrey Loftus, and wife Sue, of Arlington, VA (grandchildren: Erin, Lynn, Bridget, and Keira), and Mary Ellen Craddock, and husband Adam, of Vienna, VA (grandchildren: Sydney, Duncan, and Mary Kathryn). In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in Mitzi’s honor to the Covenant House (online here or by mail: PO Box 758636, Topeka KS 66675-9986) or St Jude’s Hospital for Children (online here or by mail: 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105). Friends and family are invited to celebrate Mitzi’s life on Friday, December 13, 2024 from 2 to 4 pm and 6 to 8 pm at the Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater, MD 21037. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 10:30 am at Holy Family Catholic Church, 826 W Central Avenue, Davidsonville, MD 21035. Interment will follow at Lakemont Memorial Gardens, 900 W Central Avenue, Davidsonville, MD 21035. Online condolences may be made using the Memories tab on this page.