Marie K. Garske

Marie Kettelforder Garske died in the early hours of December 26, 2021 in her home at Augsburg Lutheran Village in Gwynn Oak, Maryland in the loving care of her devoted husband of 61 years Robert (Bob) Garske. Born Marie Catherine Kettelforder on December 13, 1934 in Richmond, Indiana to Paul and Elsie Kettelforder, Marie attended Richmond High School prior to being the first in her family to graduate college at Valparaiso University. After college she moved to Washington, DC where she met the love of her life, Bob, at Grace Lutheran Church. They married on August 27, 1960. Marie and Bob raised three children; Peder Garske (Michelle), Joanna Sacks (Jeff) and Sarah Garske (Nathan).

Marie’s life influenced countless people and organizations and she was a community builder. She co-founded Capitol Hill Day School in 1968 which thrives today. A life long Lutheran, she was a pillar in several Lutheran churches in her adult life including Grace and Reformation Churches in Washington, DC; St. Paul’s in Aberdeen, MD, and most recently, Christ Church in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. She sang in choirs, rang handbells, organized potlucks and coffee hours, and directed church theatrical productions. She was an excellent seamstress; dressing her children as Fred, Wilma, and Pebbles Flintstones one Halloween, creating several bunny suits on short notice, and making numerous adorable baby dresses for friends and family. She baked too many cookies to count; particularly famous for her “health” chocolate chip cookies and soft sugar cookies made using her vast and varied cookie cutter collection. While residing in Havre de Grace, MD, she enjoyed community theater and participated in several plays and musicals including The Savages, Arsenic and Old Lace, Oliver!, and The Sound of Music. At Augsburg, she brought joy to fellow residents directing Christmas plays and leading nursing home residents in weekly hymn sings.

Marie was preceded in death by her parents Paul and Elsie, her older sister Dorothy, and her son Peder. She is survived by her husband Bob; her daughters Joanna and Sarah, her grandsons Andrew, Jonathan, and Marcus; her niece Ann and nephews Donal, Jack, and Tom; and countless friends.

A service will be held at Christ Lutheran Church, 701 South Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21230 on Saturday, January 29 at 10am. Inurnment private. In lieu of flowers, donations in Marie’s memory may be made to the Augsburg Lutheran Village Resident Care Fund attention of Philanthropy Department, 6825 Campfield Road, Baltimore, MD 21207.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sterlingashtonschwabwitzke.com for the Garske family.