Former East Hampton resident Mildred Stoltze of Easton, Maryland, formerly of St. Michaels, Maryland, died at the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center in Easton December 10. She was 85.
Born on June 8, 1928, in New York City, she was the daughter of Rudolph and Emily Novotney Smutney. She graduated from the State University of New York at New Paltz with a bachelor’s degree in education. She taught at the Arrowhead Elementary School in East Setauket, receiving the Teacher of the Year award in 1972. She married Eric Stoltze Sr. on November 22, 1954. They moved to Maryland in 1985, first to Wittman, and Ms. Stoltze went to work as an elementary school teacher in Talbot County for eight more years.
Predeceased by her husband in 1991, she returned to New York City in the mid-1990s and enrolled in classes in dog grooming. When she returned to St. Michaels, she opened her own pet salon, Top Dog Groomers. In 2002, she moved to Easton.
She is survived by a son, Eric C. Stoltze Jr. and wife Darlene; and a daughter, Cynthia DeCristofaro and husband Harold, all of Easton; three grandchildren, Yolanda Clark and husband Shawn, Roseanna DeCristofaro, John Andrews and wife Candice; and six great-grandchildren, Deidra, Thomas, Lorelei, Robert, Walter and Katie.
A memorial service was held on December 15 at the Shore Harvest Presbyterian Church in Easton, where she was an active member.
Donations may be made to the Building Fund of Shore Harvest Presbyterian Church, 9560 Black Dog Alley, Easton, MD 21601, or the Talbot County Humane Society, 7894 Ocean Gateway, Easton, MD 21601, or a charity of choice.
Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Ostrowski Funeral Home of St. Michaels.
on Dec 16, 2013