Teresa Dowling Mutchler

On Monday, December 19, 2022, our dear mother, Teresa Ann Dowling Mutchler, passed away at the age of 67. She was taken away from us too soon after her battle with bile duct cancer. She is survived by her four children: Heather Campos (husband Mariano, daughter Kaitlyn), Erin Mutchler (daughters Kaylee, Abigail, and Amelia), Sabrina (Nikki) Hines (husband Adam, daughter Olivia, & son Thomas), and Michael (Tony) Mutchler; as well as her older sister, Maureen Beall and nieces Cheryl Boland and Samantha Stansbury.

Growing up in Mount Rainier, MD with her mother, Mary Catherine Dowling, her oldest sister, Maureen, and younger sister, Sharon, she met our father, James (Jimmy) Dean Mutchler while attending St. James Church and Catholic school. They welcomed their first child together, Heather, in 1973. A few years later, mom accepted a position as office secretary for the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops in Washington, D.C. She remained there until retiring in November, 2020. During her time there, she had her three other children, Erin, Nikki, and Tony. We lived in Hyattsville, MD, and attended Catholic school at St. Jerome’s and Elizabeth Seton High School. Mom and dad worked tirelessly to support our years spent in both schools. 

One thing mom was known for by all was her love for reading. Our home was filled with books based on mystery by some of her favorite authors- John Grisham, Mary Higgins Clark, Tom Clancy, just to name a few. Right before retiring, she moved out to Bowie, MD, in hopes of fulfilling her long-awaited role as full-time grandma. In the short time she was able to spend in this role, she enjoyed dropping off and picking up Olivia and Thomas from school, spending more time with friends and family, and, of course, reading as much as she wanted. Another love mom had was with the beach. Mom always looked forward to anytime we could get away to the ocean, where she could be with her kids, grandkids, and, of course, enjoy a good book. 

The closed-casket viewing will take place on Wednesday, December 28, at St. Jerome’s Church from 10:00-11:30. Following the viewing is the mass at 11:30 and then the graveside service at Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Bladensburg, MD at 1:30. In lieu of flowers, our family asks that if you are able, donations be made to the Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancer Research at Johns Hopkins. This is a rare form of cancer that took our mother’s life away quickly and too soon, so donations towards the research at Johns Hopkins would be greatly appreciated. https://pathology.jhu.edu/gbbd/giving.cfm