Mary Ellen P. (Paturzo) Voorhees

Mary Ellen Voorhees (Paturzo), age 62, passed at Gilchrist Center Towson on January 16, 2019 after a three-year battle with cancer. Mary Ellen was born in Towson, Maryland on November 26, 1956. She graduated from University of Delaware and attended American University as well as George Washington University studying for her Masters in Preservation of Architecture and City Planning.

Mary Ellen married David James Voorhees of Annapolis, Maryland in 1980. They raised three children; James Alexander Voorhees, Lauren Gambrill Flanagan (Voorhees), and Megan Elizabeth Voorhees. Mary Ellen was extremely proud of her children and spent as much time with them as she could; they brought her great joy. She was also very grateful for her son in-law Brendan, daughter in-law Jennifer and soon-to-be son in-law Willie.

Mary Ellen was blessed with her first grandchild Shea Norene Flanagan, daughter of Lauren and Brendan Flanagan in June 2017. She was a full time “Grandy” nanny to Shea, traveling three days a week to Rockville, Maryland during the first year of her granddaughter’s life. She was looking forward to future grandchildren from recently married son Alex to Jennifer M. James, and recently engaged daughter Megan to William J. Blaszkiewicz.

Mary Ellen and her husband lived in several cities during their marriage including Indianapolis, Indiana, and Tampa, Florida where they met lifelong friends.  In 1989, Mary Ellen and David moved home to Maryland and quickly developed warm relationships with new neighbors and reignited with old friends. She attended St. Mark Roman Catholic Church where she often volunteered at St. Mark School.

Mary Ellen loved riding her bike up to 30 miles at a time and walked on average of eight miles per day. She was an avid reader, loved to travel with David, and cherished family events with her children. Mary Ellen was known for always putting others before herself and was a loving and kind individual. In her spare time, she volunteered at the Teacher’s Swap in Baltimore City and was an usher at the Hippodrome Theater with her St. Mark Moms friends.

In addition to her immediate family, she is survived by brother V. Michael Paturzo and wife Susanne Paturzo (Curry), Sister Janet L. Stamas (Paturzo) and husband Dr. Peter Stamas, nieces Kathryn Curry Paturzo, Elizabeth Alexandra Stamas, and Louisa Grace Stamas.

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