Harry William Erb

On Tuesday January 12, 2026, Harry William Erb of Gaithersburg, MD (age 79) died from an ongoing respiratory illness at the Washington Hospital Center. The beloved son of Harry Bryson Erb and Hilda Isomaki Erb ( both deceased). He is survived by his beloved wife Suzanne Erb, Suzanne’s daughter Denice Radzilowski, Denice’s son TJ Radzilowski and Suzanne’s siblings Linda, Kathy, Stanley and Danny. He is also survived by his brother John Matthew Erb of Great Cacapon, West Virginia and his brother Anthony Joseph Erb and wife Mary of Bethesda, Maryland, his niece Lauren and nephews Christopher and Ryan and numerous grand nieces and nephews.

Harry grew up in the small town Anacostia in the south east section of Washington, DC. In his youth he spent a great deal of time building tree forts and exploring the woods that abutted his home. The woods offered him a chance to enjoy nature with frog ponds, a magazine cave from the war of 1812 and huge trees in the middle of the city. The woods adjoined the Frederick Douglass property on W Street. As he served the Washington Post Times Herald he was often invited in to admire the home by the descendants of the folks who cared for the property when Frederick Douglass was alive and before it was a national historic site.

It was truly a different time. At the age of seven, with his clothes in a shopping bag, he would travel alone by bus to his grandmother's house across the river. He enjoyed Fairlawn Park and the public swimming pool and the ball fields along the Anacostia river. In Summer he went to Camp Brown and Glen Echo Amusement Park and swam in the Crystal Pool there.

Throughout his life he enjoyed being with friends and family and was well known for his wit and general good humor. He liked classic cars and owned a number of them. He enjoyed spending time crabbing and fishing on the Chesapeake Bay at North Beach. He enjoyed music and played the accordion.

Harry was confirmed at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation where the family attended for generations.

He attended Ketchum Elementary, Kramer Jr. High and Anacostia High School from which he graduated in 1964. After graduation he joined the Carpenters Union and completed the four year apprenticeship, working in the day and going to school in the eventing.

He loved building. He spent his life doing carpentry work all over the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area, including the Kennedy Center. Outside of the Washington area he worked building the Casinos of Atlantic City, NJ. For the last 20 years of his career he enjoyed working for the Rickman Company in Montgomery County, MD and at the race tracks at Ocean Downs in MD and Delaware Park in Delaware.

Harry was loved by family and long-time friends. HIs easy-going nature and dedication to a job well done were appreciated by all who knew him.

He is truly loved and missed as he joins family and friends who have gone before.

God Bless