Fort Washington, MD — Emma Louise Washington, a long-time resident of Fort Washington, MD, departed this life on Saturday, November 19th , 2016 after a long battle with leukemia. Born Emma Louise Brooks on November 25, 1936 in Davidsonville, Maryland, she was the second child of James Henry and Emma Brooks.

She married Francis Raymond Washington on July 29, 1961. They were blessed with four children. When her youngest child was school age she started a 20 year career working for the Prince George's County Public School System putting to use her exceptional talent and passion for cooking and baking. She also ran her own part time catering business. After her retirement she enjoyed spending more time with family and friends, traveling the country and the world following her children through their life adventures, and staying physically active (avid member of Curves).

She loved and adored her family and her family loved and adored her. She was a loving nurturing person who always cared for her family in the best way she knew how; especially through her gift of cooking and carrying on the family tradition of hosting family gatherings.

She is survived by her husband, Francis Washington, her four children (Evelyn, Janice, Patricia and Thomas) three grand-children (Omari, Laila and Nasreen), seven sisters and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial gifts be made to the Leukemia /Lymphoma Society ( http://www.lls.org ) or support the "Emma's Cure" fundraising effort ( http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/ambbr17/EmmasCure#Welcome-to-Emmas-Cures-Fundraising-Page ).

Viewing, 9:00am until 10:00am, Saturday, November 26, 2016 in the Chapel of Thornton Funeral Home, P.A., 3439 Livingston Road, Indian Head, Maryland 20640; Mass of Christian Burial, 11:00am, at St. Mary's Catholic Church of Piscataway, 13401 Piscataway Road, Clinton, Maryland 20735. Interment, Resurrection Cemetery, 8000 Woodyard Road, Clinton, Maryland 20735.