Mildred Skarda

Mildred Louise Skarda, 85, of Frederick, MD, and formerly of Baltimore, MD, died peacefully on March 13, 2020, at Edenton Retirement Community. Known as Jill to family and friends, she recently celebrated 63 years of marriage to James Thomas Skarda, also of Frederick.

Jill was born in Baltimore on August 9, 1934, to the late John Florian and Mildred Margaret (nee Good) Williams. She attended the Institute of Notre Dame from first grade through high school, and graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. She worked as a chemist at National Institutes of Health until the birth of her first child. She and Jim raised their three children in Baltimore. They moved to Frederick in 2014 to be closer to family. Jill was an avid reader and enjoyed grandchildren, a great-grandchild, history, beaches, traveling, sailing, knitting, and crossword puzzles.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Joan Williams Spicer. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her children, Claire Negas and husband Taki of Frederick, Gregory Skarda and wife Clare of Alexandria, Virginia, and Jane Pyrak and husband Arthur of Annandale, Virginia; eight grandchildren, Kristina Kelly, Matthew Pyrak, Andrew Pyrak, Elizabeth Hott, Brian Skarda, William Pyrak, Margaret Negas, and Katherine Skarda; and one great-grandson, Hunter Hott.

The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 am on Wednesday, March 18, at St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor Catholic Church, 5843 Manor Woods Road, Frederick. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the church at 11 am. Burial will take place following the service at Resthaven Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Jill may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.