Mary Lou Ballantyne Smith, known for her smile
Mary Lou Ballantyne Smith, most recently of Selbyville, died peacefully Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, just a few hours after her 92nd birthday. Born at the family home in Poolesville, Md., in 1929, she was the daughter of Robert and Louise (Kohlhoss) Ballantyne. She spent her high school years at Immaculata Preparatory School in Washington, D.C.
Mary Lou is predeceased by her loving parents; her husband of 46 years, Ralph; sisters Ruth Thompson and Dottye Moore; brothers William Ballantyne and Robert Ballantyne; son-in-law Harry Stoddard; and great-granddaughter Hope Barber. She is survived by her children: Jo Ann Stoddard of Midlothian, Va., Terri Kennedy of Ocean View, Lorraine Chase (Melvin) of Hyattsville, Md., Rob (Liz) of Severna Park, Md., Larry (Kathy) of Lewes, and Kevin (Carrie) of Greenbelt, Md. She is also survived by a brother, Harry Ballantyne; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews too numerous to count. All of these cherished her and will miss her greatly.
Mary Lou was a self-described shy person who was known for her smile, her generosity to others while having difficulty accepting anything for herself, a love for children everywhere and a deep, deep stubbornness that served her well when she encountered health difficulties after being struck by a car. Never having learned to drive, she had spent many years changing metro trains and waiting patiently at bus stations to get wherever she wanted. She must have made at least a thousand Cold Oven Pound Cakes during her lifetime, and directed them to friends and family locally and around the country. She was a lifelong ardent Catholic, serving for some years as a Eucharistic Minister, and was a member of the Sodality of Our Lady and The St. Vincent de Paul Society at both St. Jerome’s Catholic Church, Hyattsville, and Our Lady of Grace, Silver Spring, Md.
Due to COVID restrictions, the interment at the Maryland Veterans Cemetery-Crownsville must be private and strictly limited to a few family members. She will be laid to rest there next to her husband Ralph and his brother Will. While she was most recently a member of St. Ann’s Parish, Bethany Beach, a fuller celebration of her life is planned for later this year at Our Lady of Grace Church in Silver Spring.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be directed to two of Mary Lou’s most loved entities: The Little Sisters of the Poor, 4200 Harewood Road NE, Washington, DC 20017, and the Navajo Water Project (navajowaterproject.org), a program of the DigDeep Right to Water Project 501c3, Box 26779, Los Angeles, CA 90026.
