Mary Lou Rosendale Pierson

Mary Lou Rosendale Pierson, died Sunday, July 22, 2018, at Heron Point in Chestertown, MD. She was 84. Mary Lou was born in Baltimore, MD, on February 14, 1934, the daughter of the late Louis Edward and Henrietta Moore O’Hare. She attended St. Elizabeth’s Business School, graduating Class of 1950. Following graduation, she worked at the Baltimore Sun paper from 1950 to 1955. While working for The Sun, she met Christopher J. Rosendale of Baltimore, MD, who she married on April 16, 1955. They moved to Stevensville, MD, on January 3, 1962, and started the Bay Times newspaper in November 1963, which they owned and operated until 1974. Mary Lou started working in real estate in 1973, for Reginald Jones Real Estate. She started her own business, Rosendale Realty, on January 3, 1978, and would grow her business by purchasing other real estate companies including Reginald Jones Realty and later, C. Yates Realty. Eventually many members of her family became active in real estate as well. Mr. Rosendale predeceased her on January 3, 1994. On November 16, 1996, she married Thomas Pierson of Grasonville, MD. Mary Lou was an active member of St. Christopher’s Catholic Church, St. Peter’s and Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church. She was the first woman to serve on the Board of Directors of Equitable Trust Bank, Second National Bank and Farmers National Bank, and she was a past president of the Queen Anne’s County Board of Realtors. She has also served on many state and local real estate boards. Mrs. Pierson served as the Maryland Real Estate Commissioner for two governors, serving one year as President. She served on the Memorial Hospital and the Chesapeake College foundations. She was a recipient of the Entrepreneur of Queen Anne’s County Award and was selected “Businessman of the Year” by the Chamber of Commerce and the Centreville Rotary Club. She was the first woman to be accepted into the Centreville Rotary Club and is also a member of the Queen Anne’s County Adult Day Care Foundation. Mrs. Pierson served as past campaign chairman of the Queen Anne’s County United Way, where she served on the board for many years. She was also a member and officer of St. Christopher’s Altar Society, a member and past president of the Chesapeake Women’s Network, and the first female President of Queen Anne’s County Chamber of Commerce. She is survived by her four children, Eileen Rosendale Garza (Carlos) of Magnolia, TX, Matthew Rosendale (Jean) of Glendive, MT, Daniel Rosendale (Lee) of Centreville, MD, and Michael Rosendale (Tammy) of Stevensville, MD; daughter-in-law, Lisa Rosendale of Ruthsburg, MD; twelve grandchildren, Cari Leith (Cailean), Rebecca Kellum (Willie), Christopher J. Rosendale III (Sarah), Sarah Garza, Matthew Rosendale, Jr., Brien Rosendale, Adam Rosendale, Megan Rosendale (Chris Mitchell), Jacob Rosendale, Daniel Rosendale, Caroline Rosendale and Benjamin Rosendale; great-grandchildren, Gavin, Walker and Emerson Leith, Brayden and Regan Kellum, Christopher IV, Wyatt Rosendale Bailey Rosendale Mitchell; and many relatives, friends and associates. She is predeceased by her husband, Christopher J. Rosendale, Sr.; husband, Thomas E. Pierson; son, Christopher Rosendale Jr.; daughter, Mary Teresa Rosendale; and six siblings, Charles, Louis, Thomas and John O’Hare, Louise Knellinger and Elizabeth Benton. A visitation will be held on July 27, 2018, at the Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home in Centreville, MD, where family and friends may visit from 2:00-4:00 pm and 6:00-8:00 pm. A funeral mass will be held at Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church on July 28, 2018, at 10:00 am with burial to follow in Stevensville Cemetery in Stevensville, MD.

Mary Lou Rosendale Pierson

February 14, 1934 - July 22, 2018