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Mary Dillon
1946 - 2025
UPCOMING SERVICE
Mary Dillon Obituary
Mary Dillon
April 26, 1946 - October 9, 2025
On October 9, 2025, Mary Fahy Dillon passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, leaving behind a legacy of love, faith, and kindness.
She was born Mary Ellen Fahy in Norwich, N.Y., the daughter of Robert and Margaret Fahy. She and her three siblings grew up above their father's funeral home, which fostered her extraordinary sense of humor. She was a cheerleader, class officer, homecoming queen, and proud member of the Student Council for the mighty Norwich Purple Tornado.
Mary graduated from SUNY Albany with a BS in Business Administration. At a college mixer, she met the love of her life, Don. It was love at first sight. They married in 1968 and raised three beautiful children. The couple embodied the essence of a devoted partnership, inseparable through 56 years of unwavering love and companionship.
They settled in Midlothian, Va., in 1977, where Mary spent the final 48 years of her life. While raising her children until their teenage years, she launched Mary's Country Collection specializing in Scherenschnitte, the art of silhouette paper cutting. She sold her artwork at craft fairs throughout Richmond to help support her burgeoning shopping habit.
In 1989, Mary found her third true love (after family and faith): the University of Richmond.
She began working in the business office at U of R and advanced to Assistant to the Vice President of Business and Finance. She worked there for 20 wonderful years before retiring in 2010. She made lifelong friends and memories and was a passionate Spiders basketball fan, attending over 500 games in 35 years as a loyal season ticket holder. After retirement, Mary and Don traveled extensively across the country, exploring new adventures through their Wyndham timeshare. They were a timeshare salesperson's dream, never turning down an opportunity to accumulate more points.
Mary was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She rarely missed a sporting event, attending thousands for her children and grandchildren. Fiercely competitive yet outwardly gracious, she often said, "Kill 'em with kindness!", her philosophy of using empathy and warmth as a way to win battles that anger never could.
Mary's strong faith in God was unwavering. She attended weekly Mass at St. Edward's Catholic Church and often spent time in quiet prayer and reflection, finding peace in her deep connection to her faith. She lived her faith boldly, inspiring others with her compassion and devotion to God's plan. One of her favorite sayings will echo with us forever, "Life is fragile, handle with prayer."
She was fun, funny, kind, generous, faithful, and relentlessly positive. Her smile lit up a room, but the Irish twinkle in her eye kept everyone on their toes. Her sharp wit and love of puns knew no bounds. After her son Scott misspelled "razor" in the third-grade spelling bee, she leaned over to Don and whispered, "Missed it by a whisker." She once staged an Oscar-worthy fainting spell in front of Kristen, collapsing dramatically, only to pop up cackling when Kristen ran to call 911. When Tom came home past curfew one night, attempting to sneak up the stairs at 3 a.m., Mary, hiding in the living room, startled him with a devilish quip, "Don't you feel like a fool!"
Mary was a world-class baker of sweets, an unrivaled shopping enthusiast, and an exceptionally generous gift-giver. She was quick with a thoughtful note, a small gesture, or a pick-me-up for anyone feeling down. She simply loved being kind.
Mary is survived by her husband of nearly 57 years, Don; children, Tom (Ainsley), Scott (K.C. Danzansky), and Kristen Mierenfeld (Brad); eight grandchildren, Jack (22), Madison (21), Olivia (17), Drew (19), Benji (17), Kelsey (21), Ellie (17), and Max (14); and siblings, Jean Hayes, Tom Fahy (Linda), and Peggy Parker.
A memorial service will be held at 12 p.m. on Nov. 15, 2025, at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Richmond.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Edward's the Confessor Catholic Church in Richmond, Va., or the Massey Cancer Center in Richmond, Va.
April 26, 1946 - October 9, 2025
On October 9, 2025, Mary Fahy Dillon passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, leaving behind a legacy of love, faith, and kindness.
She was born Mary Ellen Fahy in Norwich, N.Y., the daughter of Robert and Margaret Fahy. She and her three siblings grew up above their father's funeral home, which fostered her extraordinary sense of humor. She was a cheerleader, class officer, homecoming queen, and proud member of the Student Council for the mighty Norwich Purple Tornado.
Mary graduated from SUNY Albany with a BS in Business Administration. At a college mixer, she met the love of her life, Don. It was love at first sight. They married in 1968 and raised three beautiful children. The couple embodied the essence of a devoted partnership, inseparable through 56 years of unwavering love and companionship.
They settled in Midlothian, Va., in 1977, where Mary spent the final 48 years of her life. While raising her children until their teenage years, she launched Mary's Country Collection specializing in Scherenschnitte, the art of silhouette paper cutting. She sold her artwork at craft fairs throughout Richmond to help support her burgeoning shopping habit.
In 1989, Mary found her third true love (after family and faith): the University of Richmond.
She began working in the business office at U of R and advanced to Assistant to the Vice President of Business and Finance. She worked there for 20 wonderful years before retiring in 2010. She made lifelong friends and memories and was a passionate Spiders basketball fan, attending over 500 games in 35 years as a loyal season ticket holder. After retirement, Mary and Don traveled extensively across the country, exploring new adventures through their Wyndham timeshare. They were a timeshare salesperson's dream, never turning down an opportunity to accumulate more points.
Mary was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She rarely missed a sporting event, attending thousands for her children and grandchildren. Fiercely competitive yet outwardly gracious, she often said, "Kill 'em with kindness!", her philosophy of using empathy and warmth as a way to win battles that anger never could.
Mary's strong faith in God was unwavering. She attended weekly Mass at St. Edward's Catholic Church and often spent time in quiet prayer and reflection, finding peace in her deep connection to her faith. She lived her faith boldly, inspiring others with her compassion and devotion to God's plan. One of her favorite sayings will echo with us forever, "Life is fragile, handle with prayer."
She was fun, funny, kind, generous, faithful, and relentlessly positive. Her smile lit up a room, but the Irish twinkle in her eye kept everyone on their toes. Her sharp wit and love of puns knew no bounds. After her son Scott misspelled "razor" in the third-grade spelling bee, she leaned over to Don and whispered, "Missed it by a whisker." She once staged an Oscar-worthy fainting spell in front of Kristen, collapsing dramatically, only to pop up cackling when Kristen ran to call 911. When Tom came home past curfew one night, attempting to sneak up the stairs at 3 a.m., Mary, hiding in the living room, startled him with a devilish quip, "Don't you feel like a fool!"
Mary was a world-class baker of sweets, an unrivaled shopping enthusiast, and an exceptionally generous gift-giver. She was quick with a thoughtful note, a small gesture, or a pick-me-up for anyone feeling down. She simply loved being kind.
Mary is survived by her husband of nearly 57 years, Don; children, Tom (Ainsley), Scott (K.C. Danzansky), and Kristen Mierenfeld (Brad); eight grandchildren, Jack (22), Madison (21), Olivia (17), Drew (19), Benji (17), Kelsey (21), Ellie (17), and Max (14); and siblings, Jean Hayes, Tom Fahy (Linda), and Peggy Parker.
A memorial service will be held at 12 p.m. on Nov. 15, 2025, at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Richmond.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Edward's the Confessor Catholic Church in Richmond, Va., or the Massey Cancer Center in Richmond, Va.
Published by Richmond Times-Dispatch on Nov. 2, 2025.
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