Mary Katherine Ishee

1958 - 2025

Mary Katherine "MK" Ishee, of Sperryville, Virginia, returned to her beloved Creator on July 13, 2025.

She died at her home, in peaceful surroundings, with her loving family and cherished pets at her side.

MK was a force of, and for, nature! Her choices in life reflected her love of people, nature, and animals.

Her parents, Tommy C., and Maryclaire A. Ishee, had both been writers and federal civil servants. MK

followed their example, working for US Department of the Interior (DOI) for most of her long career as

an attorney, specializing in energy and the environment.

Born in Washington DC on Capitol Hill, she moved with her family to then rural Herndon, VA, at age 7.

MK was ever after a Virginian, by choice. For the last 25 years, she lived quietly and simply in her

personally restored church in Sperryville (which had been the historic Hopewell Baptist Church).

MK's childhood was spent in rural Northern Virginia on her family's 5 acres, freely roaming fields with

the family's 3 dogs, devising games and climbing trees with her siblings. She was the 7th of 10 children

who remain close friends today, though scattered geographically. In her youth MK swam competitively

and was a lifeguard (her favorite job!) and later, was an avid kayaker and hiker. She tenderly and vividly

described the natural world in which her childhood was immersed, in her novel "Summerville" (as yet

unpublished). At Herndon High School, she was President of the Honor Society. She graduated "with

distinction" from the University of Virginia, majoring in literature and journalism. She earned her JD

from the newly formed George Mason School of Law (now called the "Antonin Scalia Law School"),

which later featured her in its recruitment literature.

Mk became a recognized expert in renewable energy policy; a coalition builder among diverse interests

of stakeholders (including Federal and State officials, NGO's, and industry), successfully negotiating

complex legislative and legal interests. MK was a senior advisor to DOI leaders and to Congress, and two

standing Senate Committees (Energy and Natural Resources, and The Environment and Public Works).

Some areas of expertise were US public lands, renewable energy power, conventional fuels,

environmental protection, and smart growth.

In retirement, MK continued her service to protect nature and its inhabitants, with a much more local

focus, in her beloved Rappahannock County. She fostered animal welfare by helping to form RappCats,

helped seniors age gracefully in place as the executive director of Rapp at Home, and fostered smart

growth and conservation of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, in many ways, including by her work on

the Rappahannock County Planning Commission.

Talented with words, MK wrote white papers, editorials, and in her personal life, a novel, poems, stories,

and the occasional country music song, including her family's favorite MK song: a toe-tapping "Give it to

God". She deeply loved her two generations of nieces and nephews and thrilled them by creating funny

(and frankly, terrifying) haunted houses. Later, they would tell scary stories in the dark, laughing, and

roasting marshmallows. Very many of us knew first-hand, MK's humor, generosity, and wise guidance.

Mary Katherine Ishee is survived by 9 brothers and sisters and their spouses: Tommy C. Ishee Jr.,

(Bettye), Elizabeth Sawyer (Wesley), John Ishee, Ellen Commerce, Laurie Christesen (Steve), George

Ishee, James J. Ishee, Ann Ishee, and Jan Ishee. They, their children and grandchildren, many cousins,

dear friends, neighbors and colleagues, and your sweet pets Pippen and Clairabelle now give YOU back

to God, dearest MK. Thank you for everything. We will miss your beautiful, bright light!

An online guestbook and tribute wall are available at www.foundandsons.com

Found and Sons Funeral Chapel of Culpeper is serving the family.