Charles Hugh O'Donnell, of Ellicott City, died at his home on April 25, 2009, from liver and pancreatic cancer. He was 80.

A lifelong resident of Howard County, he was born Dec. 23, 1928 to Charles Hugh and Mary Catherine (Feaga) O'Donnell. Mr. O'Donnell was raised with his two sisters on or near the O'Donnell family farm on Folly Quarter Road, which adjoined the dairy farm belonging to their cousins, the Feagas. In the family tradition, he was a member of St. Louis Catholic Parish, in Clarksville, and attended St. Louis Elementary School. He later attended Ellicott City High School and St. John's College, in Annapolis.

Mr. O'Donnell married Lillie Offutt Freund in June 1951.

In 1961, Mr. O'Donnell took over ownership and operation of the John S. Wilson Company, a lumber and building supply company in Catonsville. He and his three sons moved the business to West Friendship in 1978. He retired in 1985, but continued to make almost daily visits to the lumber yard until just months before his death. His sons currently operate the business.

Mr. O'Donnell had many interests in retirement, but gardening and working around his home, where he loved to entertain family and friends, were among his favorite pastimes.

He was preceded in death by his wife; and his younger sister, Courtney Naughton.

He is survived by his children, Laura, Kate, Craig, Jim, Hugh, Helen and Alison and their families. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Anne Lingenfelter, of Ellicott City.

His family will receive friends at his home on Thursday, May 7, 2009, from 5-9 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, May 8, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Louis Catholic Church, 12500 Clarksville Pike, Clarksville.

Interment will be in the church cemetery.

Memorial donations in Mr. O'Donnell's name may be directed to the Shrine of St. Anthony (The Franciscans), 12290 Folly Quarter Road, Ellicott City, MD 21042 or to the Cemetery Fund of St. Louis Catholic Church at the above address.

Online condolences may be made for the family at www.slackfuneralhome.com.

Willard C. Speace

Willard Coulson Speace, of Ellicott City, died April 18, 2009, at the University of Maryland Hospital. He was 72.

Mr. Speace was born Jan. 31, 1937, in Newark, Del. He was the son of Charlotte Coulson Speace and Alonzo Leach Speace. Mr. Speace was a graduate of Elkton High School in 1955, where he played football and was involved in the student government.

In 1961, he earned his bachelor's degree in education for industry from the University of Maryland. He was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

He was an industrial engineer at Armco Steel, advanced materials division, in Baltimore, from 1961 to 1975. He earned his master's degree from George Washington University in management science and operations research in 1974. From 1975 to 1978, he and his family lived in California and he worked as the manager of industrial engineering at Armco's National Supply Co. Moving back to Maryland in 1978, he worked as manufacturing manager for Gould Industrial Controls Division, in Westminster, until 1988.

In Columbia, he was vice president of operations of Delta Data Corporation from 1990 to 1991. He had real estate investments in Frederick and Westminster, and he owned two grain farms in Queen Anne's County from 1973 to 1988.

With his two sons, Stan and Brandon, he enjoyed operating/owning two car washes in Jessup and Glen Burnie. He was a member of the Middle Atlantic Car Wash Association International Car Wash Association, Howard County Chamber of Commerce, Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce and Howard County Economic Indicators Committee.

He was a longtime member of Glenelg United Methodist Church.

Mr. Speace enjoyed playing both recreational and competitive tennis. He was a member of the United States Tennis Association, Forty West Racquet Club and Circle D Tennis Club.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Frank Coulson Speace.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra King Speace; his sons, Stanley Coulson Speace and Brandon King Speace; daughter-in-law Jennifer Hollis Speace; grandchildren Hayden Hollis Speace and Gavin King Speace; his siblings, Robert Eugene Speace, Betty Speace Byrwa, and his identical brother, Daniel Coulson Speace.

A memorial service was held April 23, 2009, at Glenelg United Methodist Church. Burial was private.

Memorial donations may be made to Glenelg United Methodist Church, 13900 Burntwoods Road, MD 21737; or to the charity of your choice.

W. Paul Corun

William Paul Corun, of Livingston, Mont., formerly of Ellicott City, died April 14, 2009. He was 92.

Mr. Corun was born Jan. 2, 1917, in Baltimore to George and Fannie (McCuin) Corun.

When he was 14, he began working at Crooks Grocery Store. In 1939, he was employed at Brown's Market, in Ellicott City, and married Alice Roberts.

He entered the Army in 1942 and served during World War II. After his discharge, he returned to the grocery business and worked for Brown's Market's successor, Sites Market. He and his wife later purchased the store and in 1956 it became known as Paul's Market.

Mr. Corun retired in 1981 to enjoy his hobbies of fishing, gardening and taxidermy. Locally, he was well-known for his skill in cleaning and preparing wild game, family members said.

His wife died in 1996. Five years later, Mr. Corun moved to Montana to be with his daughter, "Patsy," and her family.

He is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Rose "Patsy" and Clyde Campbell, of Livingston, and Paulette and Elliott Woods, of Ellicott City; son and daughter-in-law, William Paul Jr. and Nancy Corun, of Westminster; brother, Albert Corun, of Ellicott City; sisters, Helen Kramer, of Pasadena, and Mary Fugate, of Westminster; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and extended family.

The family will receive friends on May 8, 2009, from 4-7 p.m. at the Slack Funeral Home, P.A., 3871 Old Columbia Pike, Ellicott City. Graveside services are scheduled for May 9, 2009 at 11 a.m. at Good Shepherd Cemetery, Ellicott City.

Online condolences can be made at www.slackfuneralhome.com.

Pauline R. Ahalt

Pauline Rochelle Ahalt, of Columbia, died April 22, 2009, at Ellicott City Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was 89.

Born Oct. 25, 1919, in Mount Union, Pa., she was the daughter of Nicholas and Zenia Kozlick Prebish.

Mrs. Ahalt had been a licensed practical nurse for many years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles William Ahalt; and her sisters, Elizabeth Knehr, Mary Whalen, Catherine McGonigal and Olga Weber.

Mrs. Ahalt is survived by her daughter, Janis Ahalt Riker and her husband, Daniel, of Columbia; and her granddaughter, Cary Elizabeth Riker, of Portland, Ore.

Services and interment were private.

Martin E. Askin

Martin Eli Askin, of Columbia, died April 24, 2009, from lymphoma, at the University of Maryland Medical Center. He was 66.

Mr. Askin was born in Baltimore Dec. 20, 1942. He was a retired president of Martin E. Askin Co., in Columbia. He earned a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Maryland and was working on his master's degree in real estate development from the university.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Julius and Catherine Askin, of Baltimore; and sister-in-law, Lynne Askin.

Mr. Askin is survived by his wife, Carol Askin; daughter, Laura Askin, of Bethesda; son and daughter-in-law, Benjamin and Chris Askin, of Landenberg, Pa.; brother, Sam Askin, of Pikesville; brother and son-in-law, Terry and Marcia Askin, of Ellicott City; and two grandchildren.

A funeral service was held April 28, 2009, at Sol Levinson, in Pikesville, with Cantor Margery Auerbach, of Bet Aviv, officiating. Interment was at Columbia Memorial Park, in Columbia.

Memorial donations may be made in Mr. Askin's name to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 11350 McCormick Road, Executive Plaza III, Suite 100, Hunt Valley, MD 21031; or the Lance Armstrong Foundation at http://philly09.livestrong.org/martysrideinfo.

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