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It is with great sadness that we share the news that MRS. MATTIE SATTERFIELD, MSW-C, transitioned peacefully at her home in Lexington Park, Maryland on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at age 72. Mattie accepted Christ at an early age at Providence Baptist Church, Baltimore, Maryland. Mattie was a member until she relocated to Reisterstown, Maryland and joined Mt. Pleasant African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in the mid ‘80s under Rev. Thomas Odellas. Shortly after his retirement, Mattie was appointed to the Trustee Board, Steward Board and also served as the YPD Director, Sunday School Teacher & Director, and Choir Member. During her tenure at Mt. Pleasant, she also was part of the Building Committee after the church fire in the 90s. COVID and her health brought a change to how she worshiped. She then joined the Victory Grace Center (VGC) under the leadership of Dr. Jazz being active in the Good Grief ministry, Sisters With Victory and VGC Victory in Person (VIP). Mrs. Mattie Satterfield was a child welfare administrator, educator, and clinical practitioner within the public and private sector serving children both domestically and internationally. The name of Mattie L. Satterfield can be found connected to multiple publications and presentation related to Kinship Care and Adoption. Mattie was the third of four children born to Clarence and Orine Robinson Claiborne on November 14, 1950, in Emporia, Virginia. In or around 1955 the family relocated to East Baltimore, MD where they resided for several years. She attended elementary school #136 and Harlem Park Junior High School. She graduated from Edmondson High School in 1969. Early in life Mattie knew she wanted to help people and decided to seek a career in social work upon graduation. Mattie began her college education at the Community College of Baltimore, where she received her AA degree. She entered Morgan Life’s Journey of Memories State University and graduated magna cum laude in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work. Mattie then entered the University of Maryland School of Social Work where she earned her Master of Science degree in Social Work in 1984. She later studied for and passed the clinical practitioner’s exam and became a licensed clinical social worker. She accomplished all of this while married and raising a daughter. Mattie Claiborne met Larry Satterfield as teenagers at Providence Baptist Church. They continued to date through the years and were married on January 10, 1970. Out of this union was born their daughter, LaTashia Critina Satterfield-Ogunlana whom they were extremely proud of and cherished. Mattie held several jobs through the years. She was a direct social worker at the public agency Social Services in Baltimore. She was promoted and began working for the State of Maryland Department of Human Resources now titled Human Services. After several years, she left for a promotional position of Director of Kinship Care for Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), a non-profit organization. This provided her the opportunity to teach, research, and write articles in the area of relatives caring for their kin’s children. She traveled throughout the US, Ireland, and the United Kingdom (London). While working at CWLA Mattie had the opportunity to testify before Congress on the issues of relative care for their kin’s children. She wrote and received a grant from the federal government to work with the District of Columbia Human Services on programing for kin’s families, which was a 3-year project. She later left CWLA and moved to Nashville, Tennessee as the Director of Adoption, Foster Care, and Permanence. After two years she moved to Norfolk, Virginia to become the Assistant Director of Human Services for the City of Norfolk. She oversaw a 50-bed unit at the Juvenile Detention Center, where she was able to implement many policies and regulations that improved services to children in foster care, as well as, juvenile justice. During this time, she was able to build a working relationship with the State of Virginia Department of Social Services and worked with the Governor and First Lady of Virginia to improve services for less fortunate children and families. She resided in Norfolk, VA from 2005-2015. In 2015, she moved back to Maryland and took a position as Bureau Chief for the Prince Georges County Department of Social Services until 2017. In 2017, she took a part time position with Adoption Together. She officially retired in July 2018. In her commitment to help others, she made herself available to be of service to others. Helping as an election judge, encouraging others to do their best and to see the best in others. It was important to her that others treat one another with kindness. Mattie Satterfield was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Orine Claiborne, her brother Melvin Nathanial Claiborne, her sisters, Rose Rajpur, and Dallas Claiborne, and her nephew, Melvin “Skip” Claiborne. She leaves to treasure her legacy: Aunt Lucille Robinson Powell and Uncle Sam Robinson Sr.; beloved daughter, LaTashia C. Satterfield-Ogunlana and her husband, Larry Clifford Satterfield; nieces, Telisa Claiborne and Erika Rigby; nephews, Marvin and Marc Claiborne; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousin.

Tributes

Mattie L. Satterfield

November 14, 1950 - June 7, 2023