Oretha Elizabeth Batson, passed away peacefully, on Saturday, November 16, 2019, at her home, in Finchville, Maryland. She was born on Thursday, July 10, 1924, in Dorchester County, Maryland, to the late Henry Clay Batson and Virgie Nichols Batson. She had been educated in Dorchester County Schools, graduating from the old St. Clair High School, and later earned a BA and MA degree from Salisbury State University. There were many things that Oretha enjoyed, including crossword puzzles, reading, games and farming. She also enjoyed attending shows, horse racing and watching sports, especially games involving her beloved Los Angeles Lakers. Her son would watch sporting events with her most Sunday afternoons, and she knew practically all the players on the Orioles, Ravens, Redskins and Lakers. Oretha was a person who would not sit still. She worked full time at Maryland Plastics, in Federalsburg, Maryland, up into her mid-eighties, and had perfect attendance for many years. She would often tell her son, ‘You have to find me a job.” Since she had a nice phone voice, he would suggest volunteering at the hospital as a switchboard operator, which she was not crazy about doing. In addition, she had several dishes that she prepared for her son, that he was very fond of, such as codfish, cakes, glazed ham and minced meat pies. Oretha was preceded in death by her siblings, Leslie, George, Thruston, Sidney, Carl and Delores. Oretha leaves to cherish her memory a son, Keith, whom she referred to as “Hey Boy”, and his wife Celeste; two nieces who provided care for her, Deedra C. Turner and Jacqueline Walker, whom she dearly loved; along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and close family friends. We feel her loss already, but we look forward to the time when death, the last enemy, will be brought to nothing and Christ will call, and those in the memorial tombs will answer. Lovingly submitted by the Family