Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, aka G- Gma, Lois Irene Richards Rohde, has passed from this life to the next and is now in the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. With family by her side, she passed peacefully on July 18, 2020. She was 90.
Born on Palm Sunday, April 13, 1930, at her family home in Washington, DC., she was the daughter of the late Paul Stewart Richards and Mabel Irene McGolrick Richards, both of Washington, DC.
Raised in our Nation’s Capital, Lois attended Central High School in the mid-forties. Shortly thereafter, she obtained a secretarial position in the Navy Department in DC, and as fate would have it, it was there that she met the man who stole her heart, Charles Richard Rohde. Upon marriage, they sought a better life out in the country of Silver Spring, MD., when it truly was the country, and spent most of their lives in the same home. More recently, they felt it was time to relocate to be closer to family to assist them in their care during their golden years. They moved, for the first time in their marriage, to Port Republic, MD., to reside with their son and his wife in May of 2015. Lois and Charles have celebrated 62 ½ years of marriage.
Together, Lois and Charles raised six children, including two from Lois’ first marriage. She was a faithful wife, loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. Her primary goal and heartfelt wish was to have family togetherness and she did everything in her power to make that happen up until the day she took her last breath. Her home was always open to family, friends, and friends of the family as well. She did not know a stranger. She was quite crafty especially in sewing and painting ceramics, even to the point of developing a small ceramic business of selling her works of art. With many of her years composed of being a stay-at-home mom, tending to the needs of her bustling, growing family, she also managed to squeeze in the opportunity to work for the Montgomery County Public Schools as a librarian assistant, first at Cloverly Elementary and then finishing at Forest Knolls Elementary. She truly enjoyed this season of her life as it allowed the blending of two of her most favorite things- people, especially children, and books.
Lois is survived by her husband of 62 years, Charles Richard Rohde; four daughters, Irene Niemeyer and husband Sydney, Shirley Flowers and husband Whit, Laura Hunter and husband Tim, Jackie Koutsoukos and husband Tony; one son, Tim Rohde and wife Sheila; 19 incredible grandchildren and spouses, Gina, Budge (Katie), Chris (Yoshi), Paul (Renee), Melanie (Tim), Bonnie (Merle), Tommy, Julie, Brooke (Shaun), Kristin (Josh), Sarah (Luke), Rachel (Zach), Hannah, Rebekah, Leah, Stefanos, Kelsey, Tim, Jr., and Jenny (Brian); 22 awesome great grandchildren, and three nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her two half-brothers, Nelson and Wesley VanDercook; one sister, Margaret Jacobson Kelleher; and one daughter, Rosemarie Niemeyer.
In lieu of flowers, consider donating to the St. Leonard Volunteer Fire Dept. The entire staff at this location has the love in their hearts and the knowledge and care that we needed on so many occasions. They will never know just how much we respect what they do. From the first time to the last time and so many between, the horns and sirens were only minutes away but never seemed to be fast enough. It always was. Since her passing I still hear those helpful sounds knowing that they still care and will do for others like they have done for us. Now the sirens are not as scary but more of a relief that help is just around the corner.
Thank you so much, St. Leonard Volunteer Fire Department.
