Laura J. Cleveland

21 February 1936 – 16 November 2019

Laura was born in Savannah, Georgia, on 21 February 1936—the youngest of 10 children to Henry and Eileen Lowe. 

Laura graduated from Commercial High School in Savannah in 1954.  Shortly before her graduation, Laura met the love of her life, Pete Cleveland.  They eloped and were married in Ridgeland, South Carolina, on 21 July 1954.  Laura and Pete were blessed with their first son, Tommy, in 1957, followed by their daughter, Sharon, in 1962, and their younger son, Mike, in 1963.  Laura was a devoted mother to her three children while they lived in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Michigan due to Pete’s service in the U.S. Air Force.  In 1970, Pete and Laura settled in New Carrollton, Maryland, to finish raising their children. It was here that Laura began working in the cafeterias of Nicholas Orem Junior High and Parkdale Senior High School until she retired in 1986. With their children grown and moved out of the house, Pete and Laura moved to Selbyville, Delaware to enjoy retired life in October 1993.   

Laura went by another very special name, one she was given by her family.  After the arrivals of her six grandchildren, or “MaMa’s monkeys” as she called them, Laura would forever be known as “MaMa”.  MaMa enjoyed spending time with her family more than anything.  Her later years were spent living in Swan Keys in Delaware, just minutes from the beaches of Fenwick Island and Ocean City.  She enjoyed visits from her family, much of which were spent going to the beach, going out on the boat to fetch crab pots, and of course eating the crabs.  Those who knew MaMa can take pride in knowing that they are some of the best crab pickers, because if you learned from MaMa, you were taught by a professional.  Despite MaMa’s love for fishing, crabbing, and boating, she swam like a brick—an ironic fact as their house was located on the bay waters of Fenwick Island.  One of MaMa’s favorite activities was waking her grandchildren at 6 AM to pick peaches at the local orchard—much to their delight, of course!  MaMa loved playing card games with her family, her favorite being Phase 10.  It has since been coined as the official game of the Cleveland family. 

While she loved having her relatives visit the beach house during the summers, she and Pete, also known as “PaPa”, preferred to spend their winters in the South in their RV.  Laura was quite the adventurer even in her elder years.  She and Pete took many trips to Florida and Texas, visiting friends and family throughout the South.  Pete and Laura traveled to Savannah, Georgia, every winter for months at a time, where Laura was able to catch up with her brothers and sisters and many other relatives and close friends.  She also loved taking trips to Myrtle Beach, where she and Pete would meet their children and grandchildren for their annual spring break vacation.

Laura treated everyone she knew as if they were part of the family.  Her favorite holiday was Christmas, and you could always count on MaMa to buy gifts for everyone she knew because that is just the kind of heart she had.  She loved cooking some of her best dishes for family and friends, including her famous pasta salad, peach cobbler, caramel cake, and of course, crab cakes, crab salad, and crab imperial.  She was incredibly generous and truly one of the sweetest souls this world has ever known.  Her family and friends will miss her tremendously, but her giving spirit and contagious sense of humor will live on in our hearts forever.  She has shown all of us how to laugh at ourselves, how to live life to the fullest, and how to love the best in the people around us. 

Laura was predeceased by her parents, Henry and Eileen Lowe; brothers, D’Arcy, Delmar, C.B., Lester, R.L., James, and Manning; and sisters, Nell and Florence.  Laura is survived by her dear loving husband of 65 years, Pete.  She is also survived by her three loving children, Tommy (Judy), Sharon (John), and Mike (Stacey); and loving grandchildren, Melissa, Greg, Amanda, Colleen, Kelly, and Diana.