Christine Lynn Commerford

Christi completed her Bachelor’s degree at Mount St. Mary’s and became the first woman from the college to go on to enter medical school. It was also at Mount St. Mary’s that she met her love, Harry Neiderer, to whom she was married for 43 years. She completed her residency in Family Medicine, and went on to open a private practice with her partner, Dr. Damian Birchess. She worked at their practice for 39 years and is remembered as a dedicated physician with great warmth, empathy, and kindness. Christi also demonstrated her love in one of her proudest roles as a mom and best friend to her three daughters, Beth, Eileen, and Karen.

The simplest pleasures in life brought great joy to Christi. She loved having dinner on the back porch with her family, taking walks through the neighborhood, gardening, and playing games with her four granddaughters.

She fought a courageous battle with brain cancer, and though her story ended way too early, her legacy of compassion and making those around her feel cared for and loved will live on in her friends and family. Christi is survived by her husband, Harry; three daughters Beth, Eileen, and Karen, and four granddaughters; sisters Gail Callahan, Barbara Riegel, and Karen Cullen, and brother Leon Commerford Jr. as well as many brother and sister-in-laws, cousins, nephews, and nieces.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 pm and from 6 to 8 pm on Sunday, February 6, 2022 at Sterling-Ashton-Schwab-Witzke Funeral Home of Catonsville, Inc., 1630 Edmondson Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 am on Monday, February 7, 2022 at St. Mark’s Church, 30 Melvin Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Gilchrist Center in Towson.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sterlingashtonschwabwitzke.com for the Commerford family.