Catherine Eulalia Lawrence Ludwig, 98, of Leonardtown, MD, passed away at St. Mary’s Nursing Center on January 8, 2022.
She was born in Avenue, MD on July 19, 1923 to the late Clyde Alexander Lawrence and Kathleen Adele Buckler Lawrence.
Catherine, also known as Kitty, was a 1940 graduate of St. Mary’s Academy. She started her first job at Longmore’s Ben Franklin Store in Leonardtown, MD. Kitty went to work at the Supply Department at Patuxent River Naval Air Test Center where she met the love of her life, Paul Francis Ludwig. On June 19, 1946, she married her beloved husband, Paul in Avenue, MD. Together they celebrated over 70 wonderful years of marriage. Kitty as a mother of four children, supplemented the family income by working as a seamstress for the Fashion Center in Leonardtown. After raising her children and several neighbor’s children, she went to work for the St. Mary’s County Board of Education as a part time secretary at Esperanza Middle School. She later accepted a full-time position at Chopticon High School in the Career Advisor’s Office. Finally, she accepted a position at Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy where she finished her career as the school bookkeeper. Kitty retired from Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy to spend more time with her family.
Along with several other interested parents, she and Paul helped to form the Maryland Association of Retarded Children, currently known as the ARC in St. Mary’s County. At that time, there were no special education programs in St. Mary’s. The program was started with five children. At the request of Paul and Kitty and the rest of the ARC families, a charity ball was held by the Knights of Columbus for fundraising every year. Her hobbies included singing in the St. Aloysius church choir, camping, and visiting her daughter in the summer in California, sewing, knitting, crocheting, ceramics, working crossword puzzles and cooking. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters and baked many cakes and pies for fundraisers much to the chagrin of her young children because they could not enjoy a sample. She supported and encouraged her husband Paul and all her children in all endeavors.
Kitty was preceded in death by her husband, Paul in 2016. She is survived by her children: Mary Sandra Serrano (Gabriel) of Ventura, CA, Lawrence B. Ludwig (Mary) of Leonardtown, MD, Donald Paul Ludwig of Bowie, MD, and David Joseph Ludwig of Ridge, MD; eight grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren with one arriving in February. In addition to her parents, she is also preceded in death by her brother, Edward Clyde Lawrence, and sister, Janice Lawrence Combs.
Family will receive friends on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Reverend David Beaubien at 10:00 a.m. at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 22800 Washington Street, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Interment will be private at a later date.
Serving as pallbearers will be Armando Paul Serrano, Stephen Edward Fulks, David Michael Colvin, George Choporis, Robert Combs and Kyle Houston Ballard.
Honorary pallbearers will be Stephen Colvin, Samual Fulks, David Adam Colvin, Thomas Pilkerton, Guy Patrick Combs, James (Jake) Karaczynski, Peter (Rocky) Woodburn and Brett Adams.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the ARC of Southern Maryland, 25470 Point Lookout Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650.
Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, Maryland.
