Eliette Christina Rossi "Letinha" Kuehn, 82, of California, MD died September 20, 2008 in Chesapeake Shores Nursing Center. Born September 24, 1925 in Pedreira, Sao Paulo, Brazil, she was the daughter of the late Antonio and Mathilde Peres Rossi.

She was the loving wife of the late Charles Stephen Kuehn, Sr. whom she married on August 6, 1957 in St. Aloysius Church, Leonardtown, MD. She met Charles on a blind date at the University and he proposed to her that evening. She declined the first proposal, so Charles flew to Brazil and proposed her hand in marriage with flowers, at which time she said yes. Six months later, she arrived in St. Mary's County.

She is survived by her children Annette Marie Gisoldi and her husband Joseph Anthony of California, MD, Miriam Louise Hafey and her husband Robert James Jr. of Germantown, MD and Charles Stephen Kuehn Jr. and his wife Rebecca Everett Kuehn of Fairfax Station, VA and her brothers Helcio Peres Rossi and Roberto Peres Rossi, both of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

She is also survived by her grandchildren Phillip Joseph and Jacquelyn Christina Gisoldi, Hannah Christine and Alexander Charles Hafey and Charles Stephen Kuehn III.

Letinha attended the Escola Normal, Campinas Brasil College where she received a bachelor's degree in teaching in 1942. She attended graduate school at Mormon School, Campinas, Brazil where she received a degree in library science in 1945. She then completed her master's degree in library science at Catholic Univeristy in Washington, DC in 1956. She worked as a librarian at St. Mary's College Library from 1980 to 1988.

She loved her family first and foremost; God; and she enjoyed and had a gift for painting and artistry. She also enjoyed gardening, which came as second nature and always found time for her grandchildren.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, September 27, 2008 from 9:00 – 10:00 AM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD where a funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM. Interment will follow at Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, MD. Pallbearers will be Joseph A. Gisoldi, Charles S. Kuehn, Jr., Phillip J. Gisoldi, Jacquelyn C. Gisoldi, Hannah C. Hafey and Alexander C. Hafey. Honorary pallbearers will be Helcio Peres Rossi, Roberto Peres Rossi, Rauol Peres Rossi, Carlos Peres Rossi and Flavio Peres Rossi.

Contributions may be made to Hospice of St. Mary's, who were there for us for four months, every moment of every day. We love you, you are Man's Best Friend! P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.