Orpha Josephine White Siler, of La Plata, Maryland, died after a five year battle with Alzheimer's on December 19, 2010 at the Charles County Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in La Plata. She was 85 years old.

Born the eldest daughter of eleven children to West Virginia coal miner and his proud wife, Orpha had the drive and determination to rise out of poverty. Through the United States Cadet Nurse Corps, she completed the three year School of Nursing at Charleston General Hospital and went on to serve her country as a civilian nurse for the Navy.

In 1950 Orpha moved to the District of Columbia where she found work as a Registered Nurse in Sibley, Hadley and DC General Hospitals and met her future husband, Metropolitan Police Officer Claude Bruce Siler. Orpha extended her hand to help her sisters and nieces leave the mountains for a better life.

While lovingly raising three children in Fort Washington, MD, Orpha worked as a private duty nurse at the Washington Hospital Center, often going home with her patients after discharge. She was a sought after concierge nurse to prominent Washingtonians well into her 60's.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Macel J. and Willis H. White, as well as her husband Claude Bruce Siler Sr.

She is survived by her three children, Sherry Morris of Fredericksburg, VA, Claude Siler Jr. of Lusby, MD, and Elizabeth Schouten of White Plains, MD; five grandchildren Olivia Morris, Andrew Morris, Amanda Siler, Claude Siler III, and Nicholas Schouten; six siblings Raymond, Margarite, Carnie, Annabelle, Willis and Paul White.

A private inurnment will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.

Arrangements provided by Raymond Funeral Service.