Erma Bender

Erma Lucille Harshbarger Bender, 86, of Arlington, Va., and previously of Severna Park, died of dementia Feb. 25 at Virginia Hospital Center after a long illness.

Mrs. Bender was born Feb. 22, 1922, in Frostproof, Fla. She moved to Cumberland when she was 12, and she graduated from Fort Hill High School in 1940 and then attended Frostburg State Teachers College.

She worked for 15 years in the track maintenance office at Western Maryland Railroad. After her marriage, she helped her husband operate Bender's Nursery in Severna Park from 1962 to 1987.

She sang in the Trinity United Methodist Church choir and counted money for St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, T. Randolph Bender.

Survivors include one son, Randy Bender of Arlington; one daughter, Mary Ellen Bender of Arnold; and two grandchildren.

Family and friends may visit from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. today at Barranco and Sons Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway.

A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, 689 Ritchie Highway in Severna Park.

Interment is at Hillcrest Burial Park in Cumberland; arrangements are by Murphy Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Community Hospice of Virginia, 520 N. Washington Street, Falls Church, VA 22046, to ARC of the Central Chesapeake Region, 931 Spa Road, Annapolis, MD 21401, or to St. Charles School, 3299 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22201.