Elsie Louise Layton

Louise Crouse Layton, a longtime Centreville, MD, resident, died November 1, 2002 at home after a period of declining health. She was 92. Mrs. Layton, the daughter of Phares and Bessie Crouse, was born on a farm near Denton and spent her early years at Crouse''s Mill (now part of the Tuckahoe State Park). Educated in the Denton schools, she was a graduate of Washington College and taught high school English, History and French in Ridgely and later was a substitute teacher in the Queen Anne''s County Schools and at Gunston School. She married the late Dr. C. Rodney Layton in 1931 and worked closely with him as bookkeeper, insurance filer, and occasional nurse in his medical practice. Active in her younger years in numerous volunteer organizations, she was a member of St Paul''s Episcopal Church where she served in many capacities. Her firm beliefs in the value of education led her to serve as President of the Queen Anne''s County PTA and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Queen Anne''s County Free Library. A dedicated gardener and Queen Anne''s County Garden Club member, she enjoyed bounteous blooms on her peonies and tree peony, and her African violets seemed always to be flowering. Until two years ago, she was still playing bridge with her 60 year-old bridge club, and she continued to read the paper to stay abreast of the news until very recently. She is survived by her son, C. Rodney Layton, Jr., MD, and his wife, Pat, of Salisbury, MD; her daughter, Nancy Tunnessen of Chapel Hill, NC; her grandchildren, Caleb Layton, Austin, TX, Christopher Layton of Salisbury, MD, Katherine Layton Hofmann of Ann Arbor, MI, Walter Tunnessen of Washington, DC, and Anne Tunnessen of Macon, GA; five great-grandchildren, Lydia and Catherine Good, Nerissa Tunnessen, Annabel Hofmann, and Joshua Layton; two nephews; three nieces; and her sisters-in-law Louise Crouse and Lelia Crouse, both of Denton. She was preceded in death by her husband; her brothers, Conover and Daniel Crouse; her great-grandson, Ben Layton' and her son-in law, Walter Tunnessen, MD. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul''s Episcopal Church, Centreville, MD, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 30. Memorial gifts may be made to the Louise and C. Rodney Layton Fund, Queen Anne''s County Free Library, 121 S. Commerce Street, Centreville, MD 21617; to St. Paul''s Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 278, Centreville, MD 21617; or to Hospice of Queen Anne''s, Inc., 300 Del Rhodes Avenue, Queenstown, MD 21658. The family especially wishes to thank Gertrude Ryans, Deborah Foreman, Edna Wright, Esther Roe, Carrie Johnson, Doris Perkins, Barbara Quails, Tish Palmatary and Candy Gray for the compassionate care they gave to Mrs. Layton during her last years. Arrangements are by the Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, P.A., Centreville, MD.