Gwen Rector

RECTOR, GWEN, 81, a 48 year resident of Annapolis, MD, after a four day stay at the Mandrin Inpatient Care Center, Harwood, MD, died peacefully with family attending on December 7th, having struggled for nearly a year against an acute form of leukemia. Gwen was born August 11, 1932 in Jellico, Tennessee, one of four children born to Frances Baird Griffith and Boyce Griffith. She leaves behind her loving husband of 59 years, Charles Willson Rector of Annapolis, Professor Emeritus of the US Naval Academy. She is also survived by their two children, Werth Frederick Rector of Queenstown, MD and Alicia Frances McCormick of Shepherdstown, WV, grandchildren Matthew Rector, Faith Rector, Ben McCormick, and Thomas Eliason. Siblings John Griffith, James Griffith and Boyce Griffith, and their children Gwen, Cathy, Alida, Boyce, Adam, Jonathan and Garrett Griffith also survive her loss. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her oldest grandson, Luke McCormick. Gwen graduated in 1954 from Berea College with a degree in history, and later obtained a Master's in Dance Education from George Washington University, and a Master's of Library Science from the University of Maryland. After several years as an elementary school teacher, she moved with her husband to Annapolis, MD and for some time acted as a dance therapist for geriatric patients. Later she became a media specialist in the Anne Arundel County school system, retiring after a service of ten years. An intensely creative, well-read and witty person, she was passionate about her many pursuits. At various stages of her life she obtained some proficiency in playing the piano, the guitar, the cello, and the flute. She had a fine voice and until her older years sang in chorales. Until late middle age she and her husband regularly attended many international folk dance camps from Maine to Kentucky, and for a number of years taught international folk dancing at Maryland Hall. In her middle years, she explored an early interest in crafts, taking courses and attending workshops in spinning, weaving, book-binding, woodworking, metal art, papier-mƒch‚, pottery, drawing and painting. In fact, if it was a craft, it would attract her interest and she would delve into it. Later she concentrated more on the textile arts. She became a member of the Chesapeake Weavers and enjoyed their meetings. It gave her particular pleasure to introduce young children as well as adults to weaving, having acquired a variety of looms for this use as well as her own. Young children were her delight and she became well known in the neighborhood for her Christmas season gatherings of children enabling them to construct "gingerbread houses" using graham crackers, frosting, and a great variety of candies, all of which she furnished. She continued her learning until the very end of her life, reading poetry and literature, auditing college courses in music and art, and attending weaving workshops, inspiring all her fellow students with her good humor and enthusiasm. In her later years, as well as a younger woman, Gwen was extraordinary in her achievements and vision of works yet to be done. Friends and family are invited to a funeral and burial service at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church on St. Margaret's Road in Annapolis, MD at 11:00 AM, Friday, December 13th. In lieu of flowers, Gwen's family requests that contributions be made to the Light House Shelter. 10 Hudson St, Annapolis, MD 21401 Online condolences may be placed at www.hardestyfuneralhome.com