Michael John Netherland Sr.

NETHERLAND, MICHAEL JOHN, SR., of Severna Park, died on March 3, 2010. Born in Beaver, PA on May 5, 1961 and raised throughout the United States and abroad in a military family, Michael graduated from Vicenza American High School in Italy in 1979. He attended Penn State University, where, as a staff member of The Collegian, he developed his love for writing. He was selected for an internship at the National Review Journalism Center which resulted in a position as a reporter for The Washington Times. Michael later worked for various government contractors, including Panacea Consulting Inc., before being hired by the US Department of Labor. A man of letters, Michael enjoyed writing so much that he even did it in his spare time. He never hesitated to forward an opinion on policy issues and was a frequent contributor to many newspapers. An active member of the GOP, Michael developed websites for several Anne Arundel County Senators and Delegates to the Maryland General Assembly. He founded the website for the Anne Arundel County Elephant Club. From his blog, "Mike's Nether Land" (http://mikenetherland.blogspot.com), Michael summed up his life more perfectly than could anyone else: "Approaching middle age with not-so-quiet desperation, I find solace in my writing. I love trying to get people to think for themselves, thus I have a small but hardy band of friends who seem to tolerate me. My son and my dad are my best friends for we are most alike. And if ever God has bestowed gifts upon man, surely they have been the women in my life." Michael is survived by his wife, Dianne and their children, Michael and Sara; parents Lt. Col. (Ret.) William H. and Elizabeth A. Netherland of Severna Park; sister, Peggy Johnson, her husband Bob and their children Katie and Eric of W. Friendship, MD; brother, Bill, his wife Melissa and their daughter Isabel of Charleston, SC; father-in-law and mother-in-law Dwight and Barbara Mills of Sharon, PA; brothers-in-law Jeff and Michael Mills; sister-in-law Linda Mosley, and many aunts, uncles and cousins. The family will receive visitors at Barranco & Sons Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Hwy, Severna Park, MD (www.barrancofuneralhome.com) on Sunday, March 7th from 2-4 and 6-8 pm. Funeral services will be held at Severna Park United Methodist Church, 731 Benfield Rd, Severna Park, MD on Monday morning, March 8th at 10. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to be sent to a scholarship fund for the children at: The Michael Netherland, Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, PNC Bank, 596 Ritchie Hwy., Severna Park, MD 21146.