R. David Fordham, 63, of Arnold, died of cancer March 3 at home after a yearlong illness.

Born Aug. 9, 1943, in Baltimore and the son of the late C. Robert and Frances V. Fallon Fordham, Mr. Fordham graduated in 1961 from Glen Burnie High School where he was an active alumnus. During his youth, he played for the Riviera Beach Little League's Matusky Red Sox team and later helped to organize and played baseball in the Mountain Road Recreation Council.

Mr. Fordham attended the University of Maryland, Strayer Business College, University of Baltimore Liberal Arts College and the University of Baltimore Law School, earning a law degree in 1969.

He was an accounting clerk in Glen Burnie for the county Sanitary Commission, now the county Department of Public Works, In 1965 he was an organizer for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, Local 582, and Maryland Council 67 of AFSCME. He was organizing secretary before the first public employees' union in the county was established, and was first president of Local 582 and helped to establish shorter work weeks with pay adjustments.

In January 1970 he was a law clerk with the county Circuit Court and in 1972 became an assistant state's attorney, where he was once named "Best Boss" by The Capital and helped establish the Victims' Fund. He served for more than 30 years in the State's Attorney's Office, headed the District Court in Glen Burnie for more than 10 years and helped with the Drug Court Program in the District Court in Annapolis. He received the Ed Lechowicz Award in October 2006.

His interests included photography, history, poetry, classic automobiles, Baltimore Oriole baseball and coaching youth baseball and basketball for the Greater Arnold Recreation Council, which he served as president.

He was a member of the Lake Shore Recreation Council and a charter member of the Broadneck Little League, for which he helped found the Opening Day Parade.

Mr. Fordham was a member of the Maryland and Anne Arundel County Bar associations, National District Attorneys Association, Maryland State's Attorneys Association, the Loyal Order of the Ground Hog and the International Society of Poets.

Surviving are his wife, Doris Schriefer Fordham, whom he married July 5, 1975; one son, Robert Benjamin Fordham of Los Angeles; one daughter, Margaret Anne Fordham of Arnold; and two brothers, Willard E. "Bill" Fordham of Catonsville and Lawrence J. Fordham of Ocean City.

Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. tomorrow at Barranco and Sons Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway. Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, 1601 Pleasant Plains Road, with inurnment at 12:45 p.m. Sunday in the church columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation, 129 Hawkins Road, Maryland, NY 12116; Victims' Fund, c/o Anne Arundel County Bar Foundation, 7 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401; or School Sisters of Notre Dame, Retired Religious Fund, Villa Assumpta, 6401 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21212. Online condolences can be made to www.barrancofuneralhome.com

As published on 3/5/2007 in The Capital Newspaper, Annapolis, MD

Website for the National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation www.nlmsf.org