CATONSVILLE, Md. — Catonsville is remembering a Baltimore County advocate who served on the county council for over a decade and continued serving her community for many years after that.
Berchie Manley died peacefully at 97 on Tuesday, according to her obituary. Among her most cherished achievements was reviving an outdoor theater in town that has become home to countless summer memories.
The Lurman Woodland Theater sits tucked in the forest near Catonsville High School. In warmer months, it draws families throughout the summer. Manley played a central role in bringing it back to life in the 1990s, after the venue had sat music-free since the Vietnam War era.
Cynthia Wilber, co-chair of the Catonsville Lurman Theatre, said Manley's contribution was indispensable.
"Berchie and her husband Jack volunteered at the Lurman from its inception, and she was the driver in bringing the Lerman back after it had been dormant for many years," Wilber said.
Even in their old age, Berchie and Jack Manley continued volunteering at the theater, directing parking in the handicapped lot, Wilber noted.
Today, the Lurman hosts free, family-friendly concerts all summer long. Wilber said Manley made that mission possible.
"She activated the business community, and she activated everyone she knew to recruit volunteers so that this could be free. Her position was that there were a lot of people that couldn't afford entertainment and that she needed to help to provide it to them," Wilber said.
As the Catonsville Arts District describes, Manley was elected to the Baltimore County Council in 1990 — the first Republican woman elected to the post, after voters threw out five incumbents and Dennis Rasmussen. She remained in office until losing to her Democratic challenger in 2002.
Wilber reflected on the kind of leader Manley was to her community.
"She was always just a very cheerful, positive person. She was a giver. She was a gem. I wouldn't call her a celebrity in the community, but I would call her to be one of those leaders that every community needs, and Berchie was a leader," Wilber said.
Instead of flowers, Manley's family is asking people to donate to the Lurman Woodland Theater — the place she helped bring back to life, and that thousands of families enjoy each summer.
RELATED: Catonsville’s Lurman Theater has roots dating back decades
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