Patricia Louise Branscome Schwier, 64, of Hughesville, MD died at home from complications of metastatic breast cancer on November 29, 2011. Born December 3, 1946, in Pennsylvania and raised in Hillsville, Virginia, she was the daughter of the late Clyde and Opal (Bolt) Branscome.

She was a resident of Charles County for 32 years and teacher of chemistry and biology for 38 years. In 2006, she retired from Charles County Public School System where she earned the highest regard of her pupils, colleagues, parents and other citizens throughout Charles County for her dedication to the teaching profession as stated by the Board of Education of Charles Country on June 13, 2007. She was a board member for the Charles County Council on the Aging and an active member at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Prince Frederick. In 2011, she was named volunteer of the year for Barstow Elementary School.

She is survived by her husband of 23 years, Robert Schwier; daughter Melanie Dawn Osterhouse; son-in-law, David Osterhouse of Prince Frederick, MD; grandchildren, Jadon and Loralei; sister, Elizabeth Marshall; brother-in-law, Lawrence Marshall of Floyd, VA; niece Carol Marshall of Colorado Springs, CO; and nephews Nathaniel Leech, Lawrence and Lorenzo Marshall.

Visitation and meditation will be held Monday December 5, 2011 at St. Paul's
Episcopal Church, 25 Church Street, Prince Frederick 20678, starting at 6pm. Private family burial will take place the following day.

Arrangements are being handled by Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home, P.A., Charlotte Hall, MD.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Charles County Hospice, 105 LaGrange Avenue, P O Box 1703, LaPlata, MD 20646.