Mary McDevitt Obituary

Mary McDevitt
02/11/1945 - 03/03/2025
Mary McDevitt, a longtime Mill Valley resident, marriage and family therapist, and professor, passed away in the company of her family in her Mill Valley home on March 3, 2025, shortly after having been diagnosed with cancer. The daughter of Mary Jane and Daniel Rolfs, Mary was born on February 11, 1945, in Los Angeles and grew up primarily in the Richmond District of San Francisco, graduating from Washington High School in 1962. She then attended Stanford University where she met her husband, Ray, while they both were enjoying Stanford's overseas campus in Florence, Italy during their semesters abroad. Mary and Ray were married in the Stanford Chapel on July 1, 1967.
After graduation, Mary worked for Fairchild Semiconductors, providing financial support for the couple while Ray attended Stanford Law School. Their first child, Jessica, was born in San Francisco in 1971. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Washington, D.C. where Mary gave birth to their second daughter, Devon, in 1974.
Returning to the Bay Area in 1975, the family settled in Mill Valley, living there ever since. After working as a preschool aide, Mary earned a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Marriage, Family & Child Counseling from Dominican University in San Rafael in 1987 and obtained her California Marriage and Family Therapist license the same year. After working at Family Services Agency of Marin, she led a successful private practice in San Rafael for over 36 years helping couples and individuals. In 2002, Mary joined the Dominican University Counseling Psychology Graduate Program as a professor and taught there for 26 years. She was instrumental in developing the Program's overall curriculum, and was a favorite of students and faculty alike.
In her spare time, Mary enjoyed gardening, pampering her cats, socializing with friends, reading, and taking trips with her extended family. Mary will be remembered for her uncanny ability to connect with others, as well as for sense of humor, fashion sense, thoughtfulness, and wisdom.
Mary was deeply loved and will be missed by her family and her many friends. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Ray, her daughter, Jessica McDevitt, and son-in-law Chris Houlder, of Piedmont, and daughter and son-in-law Devon and Hunter Marvel of Terra Linda, her four grandchildren, Blake and Jasmine Houlder, and Miles and Josie Marvel, her brother, Daniel Rolfs, and her five nephews, Jonathan, Zachery, and Jacob Wormhoudt, and Michael and Jesse Drucker.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in Mary's memory to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health) Marin.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on Mar. 7, 2025.

Memories and Condolences
for Mary McDevitt

4 Entries

Barbara Mahoney, NAMI Marin Helpline Volunteer

March 26, 2025

To Mary's family,

First of all, we at NAMI Marin want to offer our condolences on your loss. I have read Mary's obituary and she obviously was a very accomplished woman who touched many lives.

We have been receiving donations from a number of people here at NAMI Marin in Mary's memory. Everyone wants the family notified of their donation. Would someone please call our Helpline at (415) 444-0480 or send us an email at [email protected] to give us an address to send acknowledgments of the donations in Mary's memory?

Thank you so much!

Barbara Mahoney
Helpline Volunteer
NAMI Marin
555 Northgate Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903
Helpline: 415-444-0480
[email protected]

Susana McKeough

March 14, 2025

I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Mary at Dominican. She was much beloved and respected by her students, and such a ray of sunshine in Bertrand Hall! She always spoke so fondly of her girls and family and was such a beautiful, vibrant and real human being. I´ll always remember Mary´s warmth and support during a very stressful time in my life too. My warmest sympathies to her family.

Merriam Saunders

March 13, 2025

Mary was first my professor, then my friend, then my colleague at Dominican. She had a profound impact on my life as a therapist and instructor. Her tremendous grace, depth of knowledge and incredible empathy and nurturing of those new to the field have stayed with me and informed the way I teach, mentor, and support others. Mary´s ability to see the potential in her students and colleagues was truly special, and her kindness and wisdom left a lasting mark on everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. I am deeply grateful for her guidance, friendship, and the many lessons she imparted-both inside and outside the classroom. She will be profoundly missed, but her legacy lives on in the many lives she touched.

Joan Cassman

March 11, 2025

I always looked forward to law firm events when I had the good fortune to see and talk with Mary. She was such a delight and in the early years particularly, a great support to me as the first woman at Hanson Bridgett. I know how much she will be missed by Ray, family and friends.

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