Mary P. Marsh

Mary P. Marsh died peacefully at her home in Fairfax, Va., April 19, 2022 after several years of declining health due to Parkinson's disease.

Mary was born in Grass Creek to Frank and Hazel Pownell. After graduating from Fulton High School as class valedictorian, she was hired by the FBI in Washington D.C. where she worked for the late assistant FBI Director Louis B. Nichols, who was a top aide to the late FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.

Mary retired from the FBI soon after her marriage to John E. Marsh Jr., who at that time was an attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice. She had three children, a daughter and identical twin sons. Later, Mary began a new career with the National Symphony Orchestra, where she worked for more than 30 years.

Mary loved classical music and spent many happy years at the National Symphony, first working for the NSO's Women's Committee and then as an executive assistant to several NSO directors. Smart, beautiful, charismatic, and possessing a great sense of humor, she was much loved by the symphony's staff, board of directors, and orchestra members. When Mary retired from the NSO, then Washington D.C. mayor Anthony Williams honored her service by proclaiming Sept. 28, 2000 as "Mary P. Marsh Day" in the District of Columbia, and the NSO Board made her an honorary lifetime member.

Mary's husband, and son Darrell predeceased her, as did her twin sister Marge, her sister Helen, and her brothers Howard and Bob.

She is survived by her daughter Sharon (Kaid Benfield), son Terrell (Sara), Darrell's wife Holly, and four grandchildren, Natalie, Rachel, Alexa, and Steven. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews and many friends.

A celebration of Mary's life will be held at a later date. The family asks those who are interested to consider a donation in Mary's memory to the National Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera, or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.