Sheila M. Seltzer

Sheila Seltzer, 79, of Crofton, Maryland, passed away on June 23, 2026, less than a year after the death of her beloved husband, Richard W. Bradley.

Sheila was born on April 5, 1947, in Frederick, Maryland, to Bernard Francis Seltzer, Sr. and Regina Roddy Seltzer. She was the older twin sister of Susan Kuthy, née Seltzer, and the younger sister of Bernard Francis Seltzer, Jr., who preceded her in death.

Sheila’s life was deeply shaped by the closeness of family: the one into which she was born, the one she built with Richard, and the one she formed with coworkers and friends. As children, she and Susan delighted in switching places to trick their friends, a prank they later attempted with their husbands, although Richard and Bill proved somewhat harder to fool. They fought, as sisters do, and made up, as sisters must. Their bond was deeper than mischief or memory, however. If one was hurt, the other could sense it, even before being told. Together, Sheila and Susan carried family traditions and created their own history: Maryland crabs boiled by their mother with Old Bay seasoning, summer tables crowded with shells and laughter, and the fierce efficiency of two girls who became experts at taking crabs apart faster than any novice could hope to match.

Sheila graduated from Mount St. Agnes College in Baltimore in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and went on to earn a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland. In 1976, she began what would become a long and meaningful career in Community Psychiatry at what was then Baltimore City Hospitals and later became Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. She retired in 2009 from the position of Program Manager after decades of service in Adult Outpatient Services. Her work reflected the qualities that marked her whole life: patience, steadiness, compassion, and the ability to listen deeply.

Sheila met Richard, the love of her life, at a Halloween party in 1968. Twelve years later, on November 9, 1980, the anniversary of their first date, Sheila and Richard were married. Together they built a life of deep companionship, travel, humor, and devotion. They loved the Outer Banks, where summers with Susan and Bill’s growing family became part of the rhythm of life. Richard loved preparing crab boils there, bringing together Sheila’s Maryland roots, the family’s beach traditions, and the simple joy of everyone gathered around a table.

Sheila’s way of life was to listen carefully, give generously, remember what mattered to people, and show up quietly but faithfully for the ones she loved. She was an exceptional gift giver, known for choosing Christmas presents with care, taste, and uncanny accuracy. Deeply woven into the lives of her nieces and nephews, Sheila always showed up for them through their childhood, adolescence and adulthood.

Her kindness simply appeared where it was needed: in a dinosaur book bought during a visit to the Smithsonian, a carefully chosen Christmas gift, a visit specially added to a planned train trip, enthusiastic attendance at yet another concert or recital, a family vacation made possible with an extra-large tent or an unexpected rental house, a loyal friendship sustained over decades, and a sisterly bond that stretched across a lifetime.

Sheila was predeceased by her husband, Richard W. Bradley; her parents, Bernard Francis Seltzer, Sr. and Regina Roddy Seltzer; and her brother, Bernard Francis Seltzer, Jr. She is survived by her twin sister, Susan Kuthy, née Seltzer, and Susan’s husband, Bill; her nieces and nephews Jerry Kuthy, Kathleen Temple, Jonathan Kuthy, Daniel Kuthy, Laura Kuthy, Matthew Cregar, and Timothy Cregar; her great-nieces Keira, Koli, and Kai Temple; and Richard’s sister, Joan Bradley Cregar.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 12, 2026, at Beall Funeral Home, 6512 Crain Hwy, Bowie, Maryland 20715 (www.beallfuneral.com), with visitation hours starting at 1 p.m. There will be no viewing. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to a charity of one’s choice in Sheila’s name.