Clara Esther “Rusty” Wood-Anthony (84) b. Jan. 12, 1938, d. Oct. 2, 2022.

Born and raised in Bowens, Md., Esther graduated from Calvert County High School, then went to work for the CIA in Washington, DC. In 1959, she married John G. Hanron and moved to Boston, then New York City. She served as an executive secretary and administrative assistant to the president of Texaco/Chevron for more than 40 years. In 1977, she moved back home to Maryland to be close to her family, and eventually ended up meeting the love of her life. In 1992 she married Robert C. Anthony, who stayed by her side for the next 30 years. After the death of her mother in 2005, Esther and Bob moved back into the home she was raised in, a home that her grandfather had built and which her father had expanded on over the years. She passed away peacefully in the same room in which her mother did.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Nellie Rebecca (Hall) and Herman Monroe Wood, and her brothers Herman “Bubba” Reese Wood and Marshall “Bernie” Bernard Wood.

Esther is survived by her husband Robert C. Anthony (Prince Frederick, Md.), her daughter Karen R. Hanron (Montpelier, Vt.), her son John G. Hanron Jr. (Seattle, Wa.), grandchildren Amelia Hanron (Seattle, Wa.) Duncan Hanron (Seattle, Wa.) and Kia’Rae Hanron (Burlington, Vt.)

Above all things, mom deeply loved her family. She was happiest at family gatherings with guitars and singing.

A short, informal interment ceremony will be held at Asbury Cemetery on Thursday, Oct. 20, at 3pm. All are welcome. A celebration of life gathering with music, food, and shared memories will take place in early spring when grieving hearts are softer and all of life is born anew.

The family would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to Calvert Hospice and especially to stepsister Maggie Anthony for the extraordinary loving care they provided mom in her final days.