Elizabeth Ann Cleveland

Elizabeth "Beth" Cleveland, 73, of Catonsville, Maryland passed away peacefully, surrounded by family after an eight-month battle with gastric cancer on June 21, 2016. Beth is survived by her wife and soulmate of nearly 27 years, Deb Csakvary; brother John (Sharon) Cleveland, sister Susie (Dick) Hibbard; children Cathy Sciambi (Bob Kays), Virginia Collin, John (Carol) Pease, and Kate (Ryan) Cooper; grandchildren Mark (Maria) Gomez, Jason Turner, Dan (Nori) Sciambi, Laura (Christian) Lalinde, Wendy Collin, Amy Collin, Phillip Pease, John Pease, Jr., and Steven Pease; and five great-grandchildren as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and neighbors whom she loved dearly. Beth spent her life caring for others--whether helping her family in her youth, raising her children in her young adult life, or later earning an Associates in Nursing from Howard Community College to serve as an Emergency Room nurse in hospitals in Washington, D.C. and Laurel, Maryland. She finished her nursing career working in an endocrine office in Columbia, Maryland and retired at the age of 62. Beth was an avid reader who enjoyed learning new technologies and loved spending time with her family. She and Deb, who shared adventurous spirits akin to Thelma and Louise, delighted in traveling, partaking in culinary thrills, and cheering for Baltimore sports teams, especially the Orioles. They loved their little town of Catonsville and the sweet home they owned together that they affectionately called "The Promised Land" because they had worked their whole lives to find a place they could truly call home. To say she was loved and will be missed by all who had the honor of knowing her is an understatement. She was the matriarch of the family with an open and loving heart for all who needed advice or just a place free of judgment. A mentor and inspiration to many, Beth leaves us with heavy hearts to mourn a profound loss.

Visitation with family and friends will be at 2pm with a celebration of life service held at 3pm on Saturday, June 25th at the Candle Light Funeral Home located at 1835 Fredrick Road, Catonsville, MD 21228.  All are welcome. Per Beth's wishes, attendees should wear comfortable clothing with bright colors as this is a celebration of a life well-lived. Floral tributes will be accepted.  Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to the following organizations:

Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) / http://baltimoreanimalshelter.org/

Frisky's Wildlife and Primate Sanctuary, Inc.  / http://www.friskys.org/

Guiding Eyes for the Blind / https://www.guidingeyes.org/

The Human Rights Campaign / http://www.hrc.org/