Obituary: Elizabeth Cecilia Clancy, 87

Elizabeth Cecilia Clancy, 87, of Leesburg, VA, died at home June 16, 2013, surrounded by her loving family.

Mrs. Clancy was born Oct. 14, 1925, in Freiburg, Germany, to the late Goetz Briefs and Anna Weltmann Briefs. She is also predeceased by her husband, Martin Joseph Clancy (1990), her eldest son, Martin J. Clancy, Jr. (2004) and four siblings: Godfrey Briefs, Henry Briefs, Angela Carpenter and Regina Briefs-Elgin. 

In 1932, she and her family fled Germany to escape the Nazi Socialist regime and made their way to the United States. Settling in the Washington, DC, area, her father taught Economics at Georgetown University. During World War II Elizabeth worked as a translator for the OSS. She met her husband, Martin J Clancy, while he was working on his PhD at Georgetown. They were married in 1949, and moved to Milwaukee Wisconsin where her husband taught at Marquette University. They returned to the Washington area in 1960 and settled in Bethesda where she resided with her husband and four children for the next 30 years.  Mrs. Clancy was an avid tennis player and belonged to the Edgemoor Club in Bethesda. She was a talented painter and created many fine paintings for family and friends. She became interested in Hospice care in the early 1980's and was one of the early volunteers who helped create the Montgomery County Hospice.  Elizabeth was a devout Catholic .She and her family were long time  members of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Bethesda, MD, before moving to Leesburg and joining Saint John the Apostle parish in 1990.

In Leesburg she volunteered at Loudoun Long Term Care for several years in the 1990's. Mrs. Clancy enjoyed baking and loved gardening.

Mrs. Clancy is survived by her three beloved children: Julia A. Clancy Smith (Carl) of Tucson, AZ, Mary Clancy Czarnecki (Andrew) of Leesburg, VA, John Anthony Clancy (Colleen) of Leesburg; six grandchildren: Leah Clancy, Elisabeth Smith, Christopher Mogin, Jan Clancy, Madeleine Mogin, Erin Clancy; two great grandchildren: Miles Smith, Zoey Mogin and a host of other relatives and friends. 

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Evercare Hospice of Loudoun, VA, Catholic Charities, or Saint Jude's Children's Hospital. 

Online condolences may be made at www.LoudounFuneralChapel.com.