Mary Alois Matthews

Born and raised in Crapo, Alois graduated from Crapo High School in 1937. Continuing her education at Salisbury State College she graduated with a BA in education, and later obtained an Advanced Professional Certificate.

Alois enjoyed a career with the Dorchester Public School System from 1947 to 1976. As a teacher of high school English and Latin, she instilled a love of words and the English language in her students. For many years she sponsored the school newspaper, the SO DO, and coached the senior class play. She remarked that the highlight of her later years was the 2006 reunion of all the graduating classes from South Dorchester High School. During that event she was able to reminisce with many of the students she had taught over the years.

Alois was a devoted member of Ebenezer Methodist Church in Crapo for over 50 years, holding a variety of positions such as Sunday School teacher, church treasurer, and trustee. In 1998 she moved to the Bay Country Village Apartments in Cambridge, and began attending the First Baptist Church of Cambridge.

She will be remembered for her caring and generous nature of putting others before herself. In 1993 she was presented the Maryland Jaycee Seventeenth Annual Outstanding Senior Citizen Award.

Alois is survived by her daughter Mary Beth Adams, her granddaughter, Alexis Gambrill (Jimmy) and her brother, Tom Coughlin (Vera), all of Cambridge; nieces Sandy Johnson of Cambridge, Shelly Earnest (Brad) of Annapolis and Ann Hudson(Ray) of Salisbury; nephews Michael Coughlin(Gret) of New Hampshire and Tom Coughlin, Jr.(Cathy) of Secretary, and several cousins, great nieces and nephews. She is also survived by the many students she taught and loved during her teaching career.

Alois was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, James Coughlin (Dottie) and Emory Coughlin (Flo), and sister-in-law Doris Coughlin.

Pallbearers will be Michael Coughlin, Tom Coughlin, Jr., Jimmy Gambrill, Craig Ellis, George Adams, and Bill Cannon.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 1 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Cambridge with Rev. Jerry Wade and Rev. Randall T. Blackmon officiating. Burial will follow at Dorchester Memorial Park. Family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorial contributions may be given to the First Baptist Church, 501 Glenburn Ave., Cambridge, Maryland 21613 or to Compassion International, 12290 Voyager Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80921.

Arrangements are in the care of the Thomas Funeral Home, P.A. in Cambridge.