Mrs. Mary Barbe

Mrs. Mary Ellen Ballweg Barbe, 84, formerly of Thurmont, died Thursday, Feb.10, at St. Catherine's Nursing Center, Emmitsburg. She was the wife of W. Vernon Barbe, who died Sept. 12, 1990. They were married for 50 years. . Born Ma 11, 1915, in Syracuse, N.Y., she was a daughter of Henry Joseph and Catherine Snyder Ballweg.

Mrs. Barbe and her husband purchased the grocery store and post office in Rocky Ridge in 1949, where she served as the postmistress. In addition to working in the store, post office, and being a homemaker, she held many other jobs. She worked for Mount St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg, as part of the Seminarians’ dining room staff. She was also employed by the Frederick County Board of Education as a school bus aide for Rock Creek School. She was a member of Mount Carmel Church, Thurmont. Mrs. Barbe was a former president of the Thurmont Senior Center C itizens group and a life-long member of the Rocky Ridge Volunteer Fire epartment.

Surviving are four children: Susan Barbe Long of Hagerstown, Harold S. Barbe of Thurmont, Mary Elizabeth Topper and husband Larry of Shirley, Mass., and Ann B. Eyler and husband Don of Smithsburg; four grandchildren, Jean Long Miller of Chesapeake, Va., Chris Long Collins of Hagerstown, and Tammy Topper Farley and Dan W. Topper, both of Shirley; six great-grandchildren: James Michael Collins II, and David Adam Collins, both of Hagerstown, Sean Patrick Miller, and Scott Andrew Miller, both of Virginia, and Erica Lynn Farley and Alexis Catherine Topper, both of Massachusetts.

Mrs. Barbe was preceded in death by one brother, Henry Ballweg. A Mass of Christian Burial was held Monday, Feb. 14, in Mount St. Mary's College Chapel, Interment was in Blue Ridge Cemetery, Thurmont.