Anneliese Marie Pesold Echard

Anneliese “Lisa” Marie Pesold Echard of Joppa died December 10, 2006 at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, after an almost year-long battle with cancer. She was 79. Born May 5, 1927 in Vohenstrauss, Bavaria, Germany, Mrs. Echard was the second child and oldest daughter of the late Elisabetha Sommer and Johann Leonhard Pesold. She was the devoted wife of Robert L. Echard.

As a girl, Mrs. Echard attended a boarding school in Regensburg in Bavaria, Germany and graduated at a young age from the University of Regensburg. For a short time, she was an elementary school teacher before becoming an interpreter and court reporter for the U.S. Army in the aftermath of World War II. She later served as an executive secretary to several Generals in Erlinger and Wurzburg Germany. It was during this period that she met her future husband Robert L. Echard, then serving with the U.S. Army.

Mrs. Echard came to the United States in 1955. She was a legal secretary for a private law firm in Columbus, Georgia for seven years and for two years was an executive secretary at a large law firm in Pittsburgh, PA. She and Mr. Echard were married on October 12, 1957, and she obtained her U.S. citizenship in 1960.

In 1964, Mr. Echard accepted a position as control tower chief at Phillips Army Air Field at Aberdeen Proving Ground, and the couple settled in the Joppa area of Harford County. Mrs. Echard worked briefly as a clerk at the Circuit Court for Harford County. From 1964 until 1967, she was the office manager for the late Col. Leland “Larry” MacPhail, banker, major league baseball executive, and horse breeder of “Glenangus Farm” near Bel Air.

In 1967, Mrs. Echard accepted a position at the Circuit Court for Harford County as the executive assistant of the late Judge Albert P. Close. Upon Judge Close’s retirement in 1986, she became the executive assistant of the newly elevated Judge Maurice W. Baldwin Jr. She stayed with Judge Baldwin until her own retirement in 1992. She was highly regarded for her efficiency, organization, work ethic, superb office skills and professional demeanor.


“I have lost a very dear and devoted friend. The Harford County legal community has also lost a close friend. As administrative assistant to Judge Close and later to myself, she was fondly known as ‘The Boss’ of the courthouse”, said Judge Baldwin. “All local attorneys knew that you consulted Lisa to solve any courthouse issue. Her integrity, warmth and intelligence are characteristics that will never be forgotten.”

She maintained friendships with many of her co-workers and often their families, as well. In addition, she had strong ties to many of the law clerks, who worked for Judge Close and Judge Baldwin. Bel Air attorney, Mr. Victor J. D’Avella, a former law clerk to Judge Close and a good friend to the Echards remarked. “Lisa was a loyal, faithful, tireless employee to the two Judges for whom she served as executive assistant. She was a true and wonderful friend and a loving, devoted wife. She will be sorely missed by all who knew her.”

In retirement, the Echards indulged their love of travel. They enjoyed many cruises, camping excursions and trips in their motor home. In her younger years, Mrs. Echard had obtained her pilot’s license and loved to fly. She also enjoyed crossword puzzles in both English and German.

Her survivors include her husband of 49 years, Robert L. Echard; two brothers, Josef Pesold of Montreal, Canada and Michael Pesold of Eichstatt, Germany; 5 sisters, Emily Alves of Plymouth, Mass, Maria Pesold of Montreal, Canada, Mathilda Rusitska of Kiel, Germany, Elisabeth Ronge of Wurzburg, Germany and Regina (Nina) Uez of Munich, Germany: as well as numerous special nieces and nephews and many dear friends.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by four brothers, Theodore (Theo) Pesold, Johann Pesold Jr., Konrad Pesold, and Franz Pesold, and one sister, Caritas Pennycook.

Visitation will be held Thursday, December 14, 2006 from 2 - 4 p.m. and 6 – 8 p.m. at McComas Funeral Home in Bel Air. Graveside services will be held on January 2, 2007 at 2:45 p.m. at Arlington National Cemetary in Arlington, Virginia.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 572, Bel Air, Maryland, 21014.