Marie Rita Shontz

Marie Rita Shontz, 91, of Sanford, North Carolina, and a long-time resident of Strasburg, died Saturday, February 6, 2010, at Bayberry Retirement Inn in Sanford.

Born May 23, 1918, in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Marie was the daughter of the late John and Adeline Baus Kessler. She married William Painter "Bill" Shontz in 1940, and later, the couple owned and operated Bill's Dariette in Strasburg. Marie was a former member of Strasburg United Methodist Church and currently belonged to Jonesboro United Methodist Church in North Carolina.

Survivors include two sons, William Curtis Shontz and wife Jennifer Wilson, of Holyoke, Massachusetts, and John Franklin Shontz, DVM and wife Katherine Settle Shontz, DVM, of Sanford; two daughters, Marilyn Louise Shontz and partner Kathy Frank, of Franklinville, North Carolina, and Rita Mae Beasley of Ashland, Virginia; three grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a brother, Richard Kessler of Port Orchard, Washington.

In addition to her parents, Marie was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, in 1982.
A committal service for Marie's cremated remains will be held Saturday, July 17, at 11 a.m., in Grandview Union Cemetery, Strasburg, with Rev. Lynda K. Masters officiating. Following the service, friends and relatives are invited to Franklin Park, Shelter 4, where the family will gather for refreshments, to visit and share memories.

Instead of flowers, contributions honoring Marie are suggested to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (bcrfcure.org) 60 East 56th Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10022.

Toland-Herzig, Strasburg
330-343-6132
www.tolandherzig.com