Mary Ann (Welsh) Rodavitch

Mary Ann (Welsh) Rodavitch, 78, passed away in the late afternoon of Thursday, August 10, 2023, in Manhattan from complications from pneumonia, surrounded by her daughter and son-in-law.

She was born January 15, 1945, at the Fort Lewis Army Base in Washington State at the tail end of World War II, where her father was stationed. She grew up in Frankford, Philadelphia, PA, attending Saint Joachim's grade school, Little Flower Catholic High School (HS), and Misericordia (nursing). After marrying, she moved to Baltimore, MD. A devoted Catholic, she was a member of St Mary's of the Assumption Parish in Govans. She has spent the last 3 years living in Manhattan, NY, and Skillman, NJ, with her daughter and son-in-law.

She was tough as nails. She lived with rheumatoid arthritis and overcame breast cancer (30+ years disease-free), colon cancer, and most recently, pancreatic cancer. Remarkably, at her passing, she was cancer-free.

She was the firstborn of the late Dr. Albert Eugene Welsh and the late Mary (McGee) Welsh. Her father was a beloved community physician, and her mother was a dedicated communicable disease nurse. Mary Ann continued in her parents' footsteps by becoming a nurse. She started her career working at both her father's office and at Nazareth Hospital. After moving to Baltimore, she would become a Director of Nursing in Geriatrics. For the second half of her career, she refocused on what she loved most about nursing, helping patients, and became a devoted HIV/AIDS nurse and certified diabetic educator, with notable contributions as an educator at Johns Hopkins.

She loved playing games, reading, and watching murder mysteries, especially British mysteries (although she could be equally happy watching Dr. Who or Star Trek). She loved dancing, singing, and music. She had a quick-witted sense of humor. She was feisty and independent. She loved a night out - her drink of choice was a bourbon old-fashioned (with two cherries), a Guinness, or a glass of wine (preferably Riesling, but any would do), but she also loved trying out any new cocktails. She loved people-watching and trying out new restaurants. She loved desserts - a meal just wasn't complete without an ice cream sundae or something yummy. She especially loved donuts. In the last couple of years, the Smith restaurant in Midtown became her frequented haven, in her special booth, where everyone knew her and her glorious smile and wit.

She loved the joy of color, and loved wearing bright colored clothing, and loved jewelry.

She devotedly loved her family, her pets, and the world. She also loved traveling and enjoyed her many visits throughout the USA, Europe, Asia, and most especially Costa Rica. She once drove across the US and back with her husband and daughter just for the adventure.

She was dedicated to the natural world, and nature loved her back. Flowers, plants, butterflies, animals, cats, dogs, deer, rabbits, and birds (to name only a few) seemed drawn to her and surrounded her like a scene in a magical Disney cartoon. Her biggest smile (aside from her family) came from her favorite bird - the hummingbird.

Mary Ann had a smile that lit up a room, with a glow all around her. She was outgoing, charming, and quick-witted, but most of all she was just the kindest, gentlest, sweetest person, full of empathy. The most important thing for her was to be kind to everyone and everything. And she was.

She always took a moment to find the human being in any interaction and make a connection. She truly cared about people. Her charm, wit, and compassion made each encounter memorable. She connected with people's souls. Kindness was paramount. She knew that people had more difficult, complicated lives than they usually let on - so she wanted to ensure that, at least for a moment, they knew she cared.

Mary Ann could strike a chord with lifelong friends or strangers, with a smile that radiated warmth and a twinkle in her eye that beamed effortlessly. Every child or pet was greeted with her endearing wave and infectious grin.

She loved storytelling and even tried modeling and acting for a time.

She was a truly special person with a gentle, loving soul. She was tremendously loved by her many family and friends, and will be greatly missed.

She is survived by her daughter Ann Rodavitch Malhotra, her son-in-law Dr. Vivek Tim Malhotra, her sister Maureen (Welsh) Carmichael and Joe, her sister Marietta (Welsh) Kohler, her brother Albert, and many nieces and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. William Joseph Rodavitch Jr.

A funeral mass and celebration of life are planned for September.