The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • Page B3

JohnP.Donofrio,78,landscape architectnotedforartfulflair Suchchildrenareoftenlostin theirparentssometimeshaveto fightfiercelytoloosenthegrip ofpubliceducatorsontheirchil- dren. thepublicschoolpeoplethat educationaldirectorofGateway, whichisoperatedbythe 78-year-oldnonprofitHearing andSpeechAgencyofBalti- more. providealltheserviceshe pensive.Ayearcosts$40,000 andupatschoolssuchasGate- childwithmultipledisabilities. Dariusneededphysicalsup- porttomoveaboutduringhis winningsmile.At2¨,hewas developmentaldisabilitythataf- fectscommunicationandbehav- wayfromBaltimoreschoolsun- tilhewas7. speechandknowsafewwritten words.He’smovingtoanother privateschoolthattakesolder drenages3through11.) likewhataredlightmeansand Franklin.

andbothsaidtheyhadtostrug- glewithpublicschoolauthori- tiesfortherighttotransfer theirchildrentoGatewayat publicexpense. himaconstantsenseofhunger andtheemotionalproblems thataccompanythedisorder. whosesonalsowillmovetoan- otherprivateschoolafterhis doingamarvelousjobofusing wordsandtalkingabouthisfeel- canhappenwithalotofeffort readyforaregularpublicschool parents. Withthesymptomsofautism, MarkhasbeenatGatewaysince strikingdistanceofaninde- roughandtumbleofabigmid- Afterdonningtheirrobesand intothebathroomtoseethem- selvesinthemirror.Eachboy receivedanawardforaccom- plishmentsandattributes(as patedwithhisclassmatesina musicalpresentation. taughtbyPatWieczynskiin onkeyandlittlesenseof rhythm.Buttheboyshadmem- menttobeproudof.

Thenthethreegraduates walkedintotheaudienceand presentedtheirparentswithti- gerlilyplantsandhugs.Theti- nessoftheeffortittakestosuc- Commencementconcluded withthesingingoftheschool havetogo.Solong,farewell By FrederickN.Rasmussen SUNSTAFF JohnP.Donofrio,anationally acclaimedlandscapearchitect whoseartfulcombinationsof elementscreatedwhathecalled cancerMondayattheWestmin- sterhomeofhisdaughter.He was78andlivedinMountWash- ington. Mr.Donofrio,whowasbornin Italianimmigrantfather.He hisfatherestablishedCarroll MainStreet. AftergraduatingfromWest- studiedhorticultureforayearat legePark.Heenlistedinthe Navyin1943. AfterreturningtoWestmin- therinthefamilybusiness, whichshippedperennialsacross thenationandabroad.Healso begandesigningandinstalling landscapinglocally. DonofrioInc.andworkedfull timedesigningandinstalling gardens.Ashisreputationin- whichincludedcustomersin sevenstates.Hisworkwasfea- turedinnearly30issuesof Bet- terHomesandGardens magazine.

Healsopioneeredwhathe and1960s. StyleMagazine ina1996pro- seewhentheyrideby.Isug- gestedyouspendyourmoneyin Mr.Donofrio’sdesignswere morethanflowerbeds.Theyin- andwatergardens. Hewasnotaproponentofthe totypegardenthatmanygar- denersemulate.Thatstyleof everythingisjustthrowninto- Style. Hewasalsonotanadvocate painting.Ithasdesign,propor- theinterview. Hescaledbackfromcontract- ingin1977whenheestablished theDesignGroupInc.

Someofhismajorclientsin- cludedBlairHouseinWashing- DepartmentofNaturalRe- sourcesandCourtofAppealsin parksinCumberlandandthe revitalizationofdowntown Westminsterintheearly1970s. HedesignedtheDowntown PlazainSalisburyandmade majorcontributionstoland- scapedesignandplantingsat whatisnowMcDanielCollegein Westminster. turningtoMr.Donofrioforas- sistanceinseveralprojects. wasaverytalentedmananda said. HerecalledMr.Donofrio’s incorporatedintotheSalisbury projects.

broughttruckloadsofrockfrom said. Golfcourseswerealsoamong Mr.Donofrio’sspecialties.His workcanbefoundatCavesVal- leyGolfClubinOwingsMills, ElkridgeCountryClubandthe FarmscourseinTimonium. Mr.Donofrioworkedclosely ontheCavesValleyprojectwith formersuperintendentand managerBruceCadonelli. moredelightfulorpleasantper- son.Hedidallofthelandscap- ingworkatCavesValleyexcept Cadonellisaid. scapedesignerwithoutaformal degreeinthedisciplinetositfor andpasstherigorousstateli- censingexamtoberegisteredas Mr.Donofriowasappointed byGov.HarryR.Hughesinthe 1980stotheMarylandBoardof ExaminersofLandscapeArchi- tects.Hewasalsoamemberof theAmericanSocietyofLand- scapeArchitects.

HewasaMasonandamem- beroftheVeteransofForeign WarsandAmericanLegion.He wasapastpresidentofthe WestminsterRidingClub. Hewasmarriedfor28yearsto diedin1977. Mr.Donofriowasamemberof WestminsterUnitedMethodist Church. Serviceswillbeheld11a.m. todayattheFletcherFuneral minster.

HaroldC.DonofrioofBalti- richofRockvilleandNancy sixgrandchildren. JohnP.Donofrio’sworkin- BaltimoreFreedomAcademyendsitsfirstyear HeadofSchoolTishaEd- hadachallengingyear.Sohave the105freshmenandeight teacherswholaunchedtheFree- domAcademyexperimentin schoolwithnohistoryoritsown building.Edwards,whoseback- groundisinlawandsocialwork, poundsthisschoolyearbecause Edwardssaidyesterdayonthe tleofpackingupthemainoffice. Startingapublichighschool havebeensuccesses. Becausetheacademyissmall mittedeachyearuntilthereare about400ninth-through hasbeenmoreopportunityfor unconventionalteachingmeth- ods.Fieldtripswerecommon. Manyclasseswereheldout- doors.Teacherswereabletodig remedyyearsofmediocre schooling.

Ontheirwayintotheschool comingfreshmentookan eighth-grademathassessment. mathteacherCliftonMartin.At studentsarerequiredtoattend summerschoolforfailingmath, asignofacademicprogress. Aweeklyfree-formclasspe- riodcalledadvisorystartedun- evenlybutbecameafavorite amongstudentsandteachers becausethetimespentin 10-studentgroupsallowedfor familiarityandcloseness. Duringoneadvisoryperiod bookstoreattheInnerHarbor, acrossthestreetfromthe school.Sheboughtthemre- sideandtalked. tineteenageconcernsabouta comingschooldanceandprob- lemstheadvisorystudentswere havinginotherclasses.Butto- freshmangirltalkedaboutthe possibilitythatshehadlupus.

Theconversationbeganwith tearsandendedwithahug. Muchofthesuccessofthe breakingdownbarriersand buildingrelationships. Studentswhocamefrommid- dleschoolsacrossthecity bondedandbecamestudypart- nersandfriends. schoolyear.Youlearnedto McGillsaidhebecamemore thehelpofadministratorswho pushedhim. teacherwhoistakingateaching becauseherpositionteaching wouldhavelikedtostayatFree- domAcademy.

Otherteachersalsohavenot beenaskedbackfornextyear. hiredanewstaffandeightnew EdwardsandHarrissaid. opentoteachingkidsinadiffer- entwaybutwhohaveenough experiencesothatwhenthey Thenewstaffand102freshmen willprobablystartnextschool yearonanemptyfloorofunder- usedLombardMiddleSchoolin EastBaltimorewiththesame sortofzealandidealismthat kickedoffthisfirstyear. twooriginalteacherswhore- friendshipontheirside. secondtimethecharmforBalti- moreFreedomAcademy.

themostwonderfulchallenge ElsieH.Davis,95,educatorinHowardCounty By ScottWaldman SUNSTAFF ElsieH.Davis,aretiredHow- ardCountyeducatorwhobegan hercareerin two-room schoolhouses, diedofcompli- cationsfroma brokenhip Sundayather homeinthe Howard Countycom- munityofFlor- ence.Shewas95. BornElsieHallinTalbot EastonHighSchoolin1925.She fromMarylandStateNormal SchoolatSalisburyin1928. Mrs.Davisfirsttaughtatthe oldFlorenceSchoolinwestern HowardCounty.Aswascom- asprincipal. Theareawassoruralthat studentswouldasklocalmail carrierH.DadeDavistopickup schoolsuppliesfromsomeofthe townshevisited.Mr.Davis theirdaughterLisabethD.Lit- tleofWoodbine. Afterabreaktoraiseafamily, Mrs.Davisreturnedtotheclass- roomattheoldPoplarSprings School.Alsoatwo-roomschool, ithadnoelectricityorrunning water.Outhouseswereontopof anearbyhill.

taught13studentsinseven grades.Shealsocleanedthe schoolandtendeditscoal-burn- ingstoveinthemiddleofthe formerstudentthere. ShesaidMrs.Daviswasan importantrolemodelforlocal PoplarSpringswasincorpo- ratedin1938intoLisbonEle- mentaryandJuniorHigh School.Whilestayingonand teachingthirdandfourthgrade theUniversityofMarylandin 1947. Mrs.Davisbecameprincipal maleinHowardCountytohold thatpositionwithoutsimulta- neouslyhavingteachingduties. apointofhelpingnewteachers, second-gradeteacheratLisbon. Mrs.Zeppsaid.

enjoyedstudyingtheBibleand watchingbluebirdsandwood- peckersinthebirdfeedersout- sideherwindow. Mrs.Daviswasapastpresi- dentoftheHowardCounty TeachersAssociationandofthe DeltaKappaGammahonorary teacherssociety.Shewasalsoa volunteermemberoftheHow- ardCountyBoardofSocial Services. Herhusbanddiedin1952. ServiceswereheldWednesday atJenningsChapelUnited MethodistChurchinFlorence, whereMrs.Davishadbeenac- tivewiththeSundayschool since1935. Inadditiontoherdaughter, sheissurvivedbyanother dren.

Conventionofferssupportforstutterers unraveledtheactofspeaking normally. ofMarylandspeechpathologist onstuttering. smallconferenceroomyester- daytohearRatnertalkabout themostrecentresearch. Stutteringwaslongthought tobeapsychologicalcondition triggeredbyexcessiveanxiety. Manyspeechscientistssawpa- rentalpressureandemotional traumaasthekeycauses.

Butmostresearchersnow thinktheconditionstemsfrom problemswithbraincircuitry. Newstudiessuggestthatthere mightbeafaultyconnectionbe- areathatstoresandcreateslan- trolsproductionofsound. thatfearofspeakingplaysan importantifsecondaryrolefor theirproblems. sponsesaredefinitelypartofthe lessaboutlearningandmore aboutconnecting. groupofabout50first-timeat- memberstotalktoasmany hehalf-seriouslyadvisedavoid- ingsleepuntiltheconference wasover.

Amongthefirst-timerswas 19-year-oldDavidChambersof saidhefeltabondwiththeoth- ers. ishedhisfreshmanyearatWest- ernKentuckyUniversity.Be- yondmeetingotherstutterers, Chambershopedtolearnmore aboutnewtherapies.Heplans tobeateacherandhopestoim- provethefluencyofhisspeech. Thosewhohadattendedpre- viousconferencesspokeofthe eventinreverentterms. DetroitresidentSarahDowgi- leftthatconferenceonawhole newleveloflife.There’sanun- conditionalacceptance.Inever Dowgiallosaidgettingin- volvedwiththeassociation transformedherlife.Shequit fessionshehadchosenbecause itrequiredlittleconversation. andspendsherdaystalkingto clientsandmakingcoldcalls.

servesasahugegrouptherapy Dowgiallosaid. BARNHOUSER, Edna D. On June 25, 2004; EDNA D. (nee Brooklyn Park. Beloved wife of the late George E.

Barnhouser, Sr. and loving friend of the late Joaquin mother of George E. Barnhouser, and Patricia J. Hamilton; dear sister of William Reis; loving niece of RuthReibert. Also, survived by four grandchildren.

The family will receive friends atthe family owned and operatedMCCULLY-PO- LYNIAK FUNERAL HOME, P.A., 237 E. Potapsco Avenue (Brooklyn) on Saturday and Sunday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 PM, where Services will be held on Monday at 10 AM. Internment Glen Haven Memorial Park. ABELL, Robert B. On June 24, 2004, Robert B.

Abell, beloved husband of Ruth C. Abell (nee Vanko), devoted father of Robert B. Abell, III, and Patricia M. Frankenberger and her husband Thomas cherished grandfather of Rebecca Jacob and BenjaminT. Frankenberger; dearest friend of Catherine M.

Kathleen M. Frankenberger; loving cousin of Lorraine Scott. Friends may call at the family owned Evans Chapel of Memories Parkville Sunday 3-5 PM. A funeral liturgy will be held 12PM Monday at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Frankford Baltimore.

Interment Gardens ofFaith Cemetery. ANDERSON, David A. On June 20, 2004 DAVID A. Visitation at 2140 N. Fulton Avenue on Sunday 10 a.m.

to 6 p.m. The family will receive friends in the chapel on Monday at 1 p.m. Funeral at 1:30 p.m. Joseph H. Brown Jr.

Funeral Home BEATTY, Earl A. On Wednesday, June 23, 2004, EARL was employed at Churchill Distributors for 38 years. Beloved husband of CarolLynn Beatty, devoted father of Yvonne D. Hassell and Cristine L. Potter, brother of Lily Carol Herbold and Joseph Richard Beatty, Jr.

Loving grandfather of Zachary Silverberg and Heather Hassell. Pop-Pop to Matthew Silverberg Friends may call at Loring ByersFuneral Directors, 8728 Liberty Road (2 miles west of beltway exit 18-B), Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 P.M. where Services will be held Monday 11 A.M. Interment Lake View Memorial Park. ASTARITA, Marie Frances On June 25, 2004, MARIE FRANCES ASTARITA (nee Davidson); beloved wife of the late Anthony Astarita; devoted mother of William Stansburge and his wife Rosa, Kelly Kulikowski and her husband David and Patricia Miller and her husband Ed; dear sister of the late Kathleen Davidson; loving grandmother of Matthew Stans- burge, Nicholas and Joseph Kulikowski and Jessica Miller.

A Catholic Prayer Service will be heldat the Connelly Funeral Home of Mace Avenue, on Monday at 11 A.M. Visiting hours on o5a d7t 9 P.M. Interment Parkwood Cemetery. Connelly Funeral Home of Essex Family Owned Operated 215 Notices Send condolences. Powered by legacy.com Visit the obituary pages at www.baltimoresun.com BLAIR, III, Joseph E.

On June 24, 2004, JOSEPH E. BLAIR, III, devoted father of Joseph E. Blair, IV and Katherine Rose Blair, former husband of June Mary Blair (nee Cormier), beloved son of Joseph and Mary ChristineBlair, loving brother of Michael W. Blair and his wife Edie, Barbara Ann Eldridgeand her husband Danny and Mary Beth Padgett and her husband David. Also survivedby nine nieces and nephews.

Family will receive friends at thefamily owned Ruck Towson Funeral Home, 1050 York Rd. (beltway exit 26A) on Sunday from2t o4a d7t o9P Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Alphonsus Rodriguez on Monday at 10 A.M. Intermentchurch cemetery. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the charity of yourchoice.

BAUM, Marguerite E. On June 21, 2004 after a long illness MARGUERITE MAGGI BAUM beloved wife of the late LeRoy P. Baum, survived by her five children Charles A. Baum, Fredericksburg, VA, Conrad Fred Baum, Houston Texas, JoAnne Walz, Sparks, MD, Marge Martin and Roy Baum, Baltimore, MD; sevengrandchildren and 16great-grandchildren. Maggi volunteered at Deaton Medical Center, Maryland Committee for the Day CareChildren, the Mayor a Baltimore Best Program and active in Senior Olympics and Elderhosel.

Private Memorial Service Saturday July 3, 2004 3 p.m. Call 410-298-2447for information. In lieu of flowers send donation to Alzheimer a 1850 York Road, Suite Timonium, MD 21093. UMspeechpathologistNan BernsteinRatnerwasakeynote speakeratthenationalconven-.