Harold L. Schlosser

FUNERAL HOME

Francis J. Collins Funeral Home, Inc. - Silver Spring

500 University Blvd. West

Silver Spring, Maryland

Harold Schlosser Obituary

HAROLD L. SCHLOSSER "Buddy"
On Monday, January 24, 2011, of Silver Spring, MD. Beloved husband of the late Mildred Zaugg Schlosser; father of Richard H. Schlosser of Burtonsville, MD, Janet M. Ault of Hanover, PA, and Joyce I. Nohowel of Potomac, MD; grandfather of Brad R. (Kelly) Conrad, Sherese J. Schlosser, Michelle C. Conrad and Alisa M. Schlosser; brother of Nancy Donaldson, Ann Field, Paul Schlosser, Courtney Schlosser and Shirley McCarthy; father-in-law of Sheila R. Schlosser, Stephen R. Nohowel, Alan L. Ault and the late Kenneth L. Conrad. Relatives and friends may call at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard, West, Silver Spring, MD, Saturday, January 29, 10 to 11 a.m. where Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m. Interment Fort Lincoln Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312.www.COLLINSFUNERALHOME.com

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Washington Post on Jan. 26, 2011.

Memories and Condolences
for Harold Schlosser

8 Entries

Jean Mack (Ritterpusch)

January 30, 2011

When I was about 11 my dad and I went to our beach condo to check on it right after a hurricane-the weather was still rough and I loved it. My dad was not much of a beach person back then (although he is now) and I was pretty bored. Buddy came down and spent hours with me on the beach collecting all the cool stuff; huge gross clams, ray egg cases, shells, etc. Even though he was "really old" to me back in the 70's he was a lot of fun that day. Thanks Buddy!

Adam Schlosser

January 29, 2011

Buddy - a man to whom I have and will always hold a profound amount of respect and admiration. While I and my wife, Carolyn, only had the good fortune in getting to know Buddy more closely during the time we lived in Kensington, MD about 10 years ago, we were so fortunate to have that time. In particular, I was so impressed by his skill and love for his profession - and my only regret is that we never got to construct the home that he drafted for us! (we ended up moving back to New England) I was also deeply moved by his stories and experiences in WWII. And to this day, it has and will always have a profound impact on my admiration and respect for those soldiers who are placed in harm's way - whether or not we may understand or agree with why they are put there. I was also blessed with Buddy attending my 40th birthday, and I still recall the glow and joy he had for life, which I know he carried with him until he had to leave us. My only hope, for myself and my family, is that we can all embrace life the way Buddy has. Rest well and peace to you Buddy! Adam and Carolyn

Rosemary and Joe Douglas

January 28, 2011

To Joyce and all the Schlosser family, we are sorry for your loss, and please know that we are grateful for your father's service and sacrifice to keep our country free.

January 28, 2011

we will miss you very much buddy . You spent a lot of time with me instilling what a proper construction site should look like. I owe you much . Semper fi my friend. Eric Super Millersville, Md

Susan Coles-Schlosser

January 28, 2011

I got to know Buddy in the last decade of his life. My husband Courtney, Buddy’s youngest brother, and I stayed at his house while in the DC area and the following year he visited Courtney and I at our summer cottage in Massachusetts. Although I had heard that Buddy was a swimmer, I was not prepared for his comfort with the Massachusetts beach. He used a cane to navigate the trek to the surf over the sand dunes. When I get to the beach, I like to ‘set up camp,’ test the waters and get up my courage before plunging in. As soon as we were within sight of the surf, Buddy dropped his cane and his towel and walked right into the [cold New England] waves. No squeals or yelps, just his beaming as he submerged himself in the water. This is a small example of the pluck that he employed throughout the many challenges of his life.
He was always gracious and charming, generous and sweet natured. I will think of him with love in my heart.

Courtney Schlosser

January 28, 2011

A Legend of Honor: Harold L. Schlosser (Buddy)
My first, most vivid memory of Buddy was when he returned home from his time as a Marine following World War II. When Buddy was only 17 years old, at the height of the War in the Pacific, he pleaded with his mother and father to sign the papers for his early military service and a full year before the draft would have taken him. Although Buddy’s grandfather had sought a safe refuge in America for his five sons and daughter, during the Prussian Empire and before World War I, Buddy’s father, now a pacifist—and who had often said “I did not raise my sons to be soldiers”—felt the pressure from the war fever of the times. Reluctantly, Buddy’s father and mother signed the papers for his early induction into the U.S. Marines.
After Buddy dutifully and enthusiastically left home for his boot camp training and soon after that the country for an unknown invasion point in the military campaign of the Pacific, his mother, Ruth, would anticipate every mail delivery with anxiety. News broadcasts told of the bloody battles against the Japanese on the occupied islands of the Pacific. But there was absolutely no word from Buddy for first one month, then two months, and three months and everyone in the family feared the worst. Finally, after nearly five months of silence and no letter from or information about Buddy, mother had practically given up hope when she suddenly received a handwritten letter from him.
I was home alone with mother, at the time, and observed her great relief and joy at the sight of the letter; yet she opened the letter with a lingering hopelessness and fear. I remember watching in silence as mother read in deep absorption and concentration the inked words of the letter from Buddy, over and over again. Finally, mother turned to me, as if to the world in general, and said in words that could not hide the mixture of relief, pride and love for her second son:
“He has been injured and he is recovering on a hospital ship anchored near Okinawa. He was in the third attack wave on the Island. He was awarded the Purple Heart for his heroic actions. He is very lucky to be alive since he was the only survivor from his Platoon of 28 Marines.”
These few facts became the stuff of legion, honor and good fortune that seemed to follow Buddy for the rest of his life. Months passed during which letters came from mainland China where Buddy had been stationed for guard duty at a Chinese camp and recovery zone. Many years later and during a week visit in Westport, MA, Buddy would talk with me and Sue about his time in China. We were especially interested in this part of his life since Sue and I are Sinophiles (students of Chinese studies and travels there). Buddy spoke about his six months in China as a Military Policeman during which time he got to meet many Chinese people, learn about their way of life and how they had suffered during the War.
He also opened up to us as I had never heard him before about some of his experiences on Okinawa, which ranged from horror to wonder to tragedy and the loss of his fellow marines and his youth. It seemed as if his time in China gave him the psychological space that he needed to discuss his war experiences and the horrible scenes of slaughter that it brought to mind; Buddy had heard many stories about the Japanese invasion of China and its genocide against the Chinese people in Nanjing, when he was an M.P. Okinawa was considered vital to the planned invasion of the Japanese mainland and before President Truman’s decision to use the newly developed atomic bomb instead.
It was less than a year after the two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan and the surrender of Japan that Buddy, a war hero in the family and the only member to fight in the War, returned home to Forest Glen, Maryland. I remember the day that he returned as if it were only yesterday. I was just nine then but Buddy seemed like a conquering hero in my child’s eyes. The summer sun was shining brightly through the dense leaves and branches of the great mulberry tree that grew in the backyard and the huge trunk of the tree spread its branches protectively high over the yard, the assembled family and their decorated, victorious family member, in his crisp Marine uniform that held the pin of the Purple Heart. Buddy’s aura, at that moment, resembled that of an ancient Greek war hero to his nine admiring brothers and sisters, and grateful mother and father.
It was a moment frozen in time for me. Within what seemed like a very few years, Buddy would leave home, get married and raise a family. Buddy’s accomplishments as an architect and builder of his own house would pale in comparison to the moment when he returned home from war, on that sunny, summer day beneath the Mulberry Tree. It was just a few seasons after Buddy left the family’s home to build his own separate life that the great Mulberry Tree fell miserably into a heap of sprawling branches over the back yard from the weight of a heavy March snow. This seemed like the ending of a family era and yet Buddy’s Legend of Honor lives on.

Courtney Schlosser, a brother / Barre, MA 1/28/2011 / [email protected]

January 28, 2011

I will always remember Uncle Buddy with a big smile - and that twinkle in his eye... much love and peace, Jozy (Schlosser) Mainelli xo

Bernadette Stackalis

January 26, 2011

Buddy is a very special person to me. Remember meeting him on a cruise ship sometime back. First thing that drew me to him that both he and my father are WWII vets. All he had to do is where it WWII vet hat and people would go out of their way to thank him. I feel very lucky to have met him and there will always be a warm place in my heart for him.

Showing 1 - 8 of 8 results