Elinor Louise Holter

Elinor Louise Holter, age 97, originally of Abingdon, MD, died on April 1, 2009 at Forest Hill Health and Rehabilitation in Forest Hill, MD. Born June 18, 1911 in Abingdon (Sewell), MD to the late Joseph Mark and Lenora Claiborne Harward Moulsdale, she grew up on her parent's farm near the intersection of Rt. 40 and Abingdon Road. The Joseph Moulsdale farm was part of the original land grant to his father, Thomas Moulsdale, from William Paca and the Calverts of Maryland. Paca's land grant was roughly equivalent to what today is known as Long Bar Harbor, extending east to Rt. 7. Thomas Moulsdale had been given approximately 1200 acres, 100 of which were in the hands of Elinor's father at the time of her birth. Elinor was named for an aunt, Elinor Louise Moulsdale, who had gone on to become a famous actress of the time, and who died just days before Elinor's birth. She was educated in an Abingdon one room school that was located on Rt. 7, and later, she attended Aberdeen High School where she graduated in 1928. After school, she joined the staff at Isaac Benesch & Sons Furniture Store in Baltimore where she was a bookkeeper. Traveling the rail lines to work each day, she met her future husband, Raymond Holter, and they were married in 1936. Shortly after marriage, she resigned from her bookkeeper position to become a homemaker, caring for and raising her seven children. Later she would spend an additional 22 years caring for her mother, and still later, 12 years caring for her brother Allen.

Elinor is survived by her husband of 72 years, Raymond Henry Holter. She is also survived by her sons, Raymond Harward (Bernadette) Holter of Florida and Jerome Charles (Joann) Holter of Abingdon, MD; daughters, Regina Holter Welsh of Baltimore, MD, Nancy Holter (David) Collins of Baltimore, MD, Judy Holter (Paul) Plowman of Baldwin, MD, and Marjorie Holter (Kenneth) Robinson of Perry Hall, MD; eight grandchildren, Matthew Plowman of Baldwin, MD, Jonathan Plowman of Bel Air, MD, Karen Rickabaugh of Manchester, MD, Julie Flint of Lynchburg, VA, Raymond Holter of Mariottsville, MD, Jennifer Casserly of Baltimore, MD, Auts Casserly of Perry Hall, MD, and Morgan Leigh Holter of Abingdon, MD; and eleven great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by an infant son, Raymond Allen Holter; and brothers, Allen Rowe, Andrew Gilbert, Henry (Harry) Harward, Herbert Mark, and Walter Norman Moulsdale.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the St. Stephen General Fund, 8030 Bradshaw Road, Bradshaw, MD 21021.