NOTTINGHAM, MD—Gladys Friedel , Girl Scout Volunteer Service Unit Manager for the Perry Hall, White Marsh, and Kingsville areas will be laid to rest this Saturday, October 16 at 12 p.m. at St. Joseph Church in Fullerton (8420 Belair Road).

Scouts, former scouts, and leaders are invited before Mass to participate in an honor guard for Friedel bringing her into church (approximately 10 minutes before the service). The service will be open to the public. Internment after Mass will be in the church cemetery. For those unable to attend, the Mass will be livestreamed on St. Joseph Church Fullerton’s Facebook page.

Donations in her memory may be made to Soup for the Soul, Girl Scout Service Unit 687, or St. Joseph Sodality.

Gladys Friedel, born December 3, 1940 to Michael and Gladys (Sanders) Maruffi in Essex, MD. She attended grade school at Mount Carmel Catholic and then St. Michael’s Business School on Wolfe Street. On June 6, 1959, she married the love of her life, Francis Friedel and took up residence on Silver Spring Road in Perry Hall, MD. It was here that they raised a family, welcomed extended family and it was here that she would eventually pass from this life.

Gladys’ life was spent in service to her family, her church and to the community. She began with St. Joseph Church School with her children helping with classroom duties, fairs and religious events, carnivals and chicken dinners. She would eventually become Home School President and oversee the raising of the funds needed for the extension of the school building. She was a den mother, assistant Cub Master, Daisy, Brownie and Girl scout leader and Girl Scout Community Service Director. She was a founding member of the St. Joseph’s Scout Family Development Committee , which was responsible for securing, moving and erecting the original Scout Building, now St. Joseph’s Youth Center. She volunteered for over 55 years to educate, nurture and grow the leaders of tomorrow.

She received numerous awards and recognitions over the decades, but it was her dedication to service and desire to instill that virtue in her family and everyone that she had contact with that kept her going.

Gladys volunteered with the Soup for the Soul, formerly Rita’s Supper Table, soup kitchen in Dundalk.

Gladys’ faith lead her in her life, carried her through her illness and stood by her when facing her eventual mortality. May she be an example for us to follow and may we live our lives in a manner that would maker proud.

Gladys passed on August 1, with her family by her side.