Mary Wilkes Kasper, 71, of Severna Park passed away on Friday, August 24, 2018, from complications arising from cancer.

Mary was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and lived there for 25 years. She was very close to her parents, whom she loved to travel alongside. They referred to themselves as the three musketeers. Growing up, she adored her brothers, Adrian & Jim.

Mary studied at various universities—the first, the University of Kentucky & also abroad at Oxford University. She then moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where she resided for 5 years. She received her master's in English at UVA, which was a dream since she was 5 & also where she met her husband.

She went on to teach high school English, like her mother, for over 25 years in Kentucky, Virginia and Anne Arundel County. She was a natural at teaching and always a champion for learning. For the past 40 years, she was a resident of Anne Arundel County.

Mary loved bible study, kayaking, reading, traveling and visiting her children and grandchildren. She had a gift for helping others and serving her community. Her days were rich with friends, church, infectious laughter & a true enjoyment of life. She was active in the Junior League and Kappa Kappa Gamma.

Mary is survived by her devoted husband of 40 years, John Kasper, Sr.; her three loving children and her two sons in law: JJ Kasper of NYC, Adrienne and Jon Heller of NYC, and Elizabeth and Chris Colizza of St. Louis; her three grandchildren, Corban, Willow and Eleanora Colizza; and her brother, Jim Wilkes.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, August 30, 2018 at 12:15pm at Severna Park United Methodist Church, 731 Benfield Rd, Severna Park, MD 21146. The interment will follow at Maryland Veterans Cemetery Crownsville, 1122 Sunrise Beach Rd, Crownsville, MD 21032.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Johns Hopkins Sydney Kimmel Cancer Center at the following link: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel_cancer_center/our_center/charitable_giving/index.html