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Mary Levy Obituary
Mary, born on December 16, 1941, in Chicago, held a B.A. in linguistics from the University of Wisconsin, a Ph.D. in linguistics from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from George Washington University Law School. She studied D.C. public education for over 40 years, analyzing staffing, budgets and expenditures, and monitoring D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) for parent advocacy and school support organizations. As Director of the Public Education Reform Project at the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs from 1990 to 2009, she played a significant role in developing the District of Columbia's public school funding system, formulating many major reform plans, as well as working with the D.C. State Education Office. She was a frequent source of information on DCPS for the media, government officials, educators, parents, and non-profit, business, and civic groups. Previously, in private practice with Rauh, Lichtman, Levy & Turner, her work consisted principally of litigation in school finance, labor law, civil rights, and civil liberties.
Mary loved her children and grandchildren deeply. In her spare time, she was a voracious reader (in several different languages) and puzzle aficionado; a world traveler; a devotee of classical music, opera, and the Washington Nationals; and a skilled cook, seamstress, knitter, and gardener.
The family will hold a memorial service sometime after Labor Day, details of which will be provided at a later time.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Mary Levy
Bob Weddington
November 13, 2024
Grief can be so hard, but our special memories help us cope. Remembering you and your loved one today and always.
Meenehan Margaret
August 17, 2024
To all the members of the Levy family, So sorry to hear of Mary´s passing. What a shining light she was! We spoke often and what lively conversations! She generously donated many useful items to Fillmore Arts Center, (DCPS), throughout the years; and was a strong arts advocate. She always kept me in the loop about educational issues. She was whip smart and I know will be dearly missed. Condolences to Ed and family, Maggie Meenehan
Paula Kaplan
August 12, 2024
Mary was the smartest women I've ever met and one of the most humble. She was truly a force of nature and will be sorely missed. My deepest condolences to her family.
Paula (Perelman) Kaplan
Maurine Westover
August 11, 2024
My condolences to the Levy family. I appreciate Mary's generous gift of time to support the schools in our neighborhood. As the principal of Hardy Middle School, I had the privilege of connecting with her during DCPS budget season, I deeply appreciate her insights and support. She has left a great legacy of service, and I'm personally grateful for her insights.
The Snider Family
August 11, 2024
Dear Ed, Rachel, and Dina-- Sincere condolences to all of you. We are all grateful to Mary, not only for all she contributed to the world, but for being such a lovely, warm person, as well. Let us know if we can do anything to help at this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Fran, Ron, Lydia, & Joe Snider
(of the Six Schools contingent)
Massa Dunnaville
August 11, 2024
Our deepest condolences to Ed and the Levy family. We knew Mary as caring neighbor and wonderful host at the Burleith dinning club. She also shared so many tips on sewing with me. We will miss her and hope she´s in a better place with caring neighbors.
Sincerely,
The Dunnavilles (Massa & Drew)
Gail
August 11, 2024
Although I did not know Mary Levy personally, I fondly remember her impressive work on behalf on the DCPS. Her work was invaluable to the PTA's at my children's schools - Janney, Deal and Wilson (now Jackson-Reed). She helped so many DCPS students. May her memory be a blessing.
Pat Ranney
August 8, 2024
Sincere condolences to family and friends. I never had the pleasure of meeting Mary Levy, but volunteered in Rachels campaign for House of Delegates. Rachel honors her mother´s memory by carrying the legacy she established to make a difference for those in need.
Delabian Rice-Thurston
August 8, 2024
Mary Levy was the analytical fortress that was my power as the Director of Parents United for the DC Public Schools from 1985 -2000. PUDC organized DC Public School parents to obtain the resources their children need from the city government if K-12 students are to have an excellent education. Mary´s ability to analyze the school system´s budget and explain what it did or did not provide, given the needs of our students, was unparalleled. Her ability to compare the needs of the DC Public schools to what is available in our surrounding jurisdictions often reshaped the fiscal decisions of the DC Mayor and Council. Every public-school advocacy organization needs an analyst and advocate like Mary Levy. Throughout our country, politicians seem to prefer cutting taxes and meeting the needs of the business community rather than providing services like high-quality K-12 education. Parents are not a strong political base and children cannot vote. Analyst advocates, like DC´s Mary Levy, give parents much needed clout in the political arena. Mary Levy remained our DC Public-School advocate long after her daughters graduated from Wilson/Jackson Reed High School for which I, Delabian Rice- Thurston, am most grateful
Eileen Davis
August 8, 2024
A life well lived
May her memory be a blessing and bring comfort to all who loved her
Stephen Spitz
August 8, 2024
I am so sorry to learn that Mary is no longer with us. My condolences to Ed, Rachel, and the rest of the family. I have very fond memories of Mary. I first met Ed when I was teaching at the University of Michigan Law School in 1972-73. He was interviewing me for a position as an attorney with the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW). I recall that Ed and I got into an argument about something. This somehow led to a job offer. I worked with Ed for five years in the Civil Rights Division of the Office of the General Counsel of HEW from 1973 through 1978. That´s when I met Mary. I later worked with Mary on school finance reform cases when she was with Joe Rauh´s law firm. I was Director of the School Finance Reform Project of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. I found Mary to be a passionate advocate for equal educational opportunities for all students. She was a pleasure with whom to work. While I was still at the National Lawyers Committee, Mary worked next door at the Washington Lawyers Committee with Parents United for Full School Funding. We often chatted about education issues. In more recent years, on more than one occasion, I ran into Ed and Mary with their grandchildren at Washington Nationals games. Then, in about 2017 or 2018, I received a telephone call from a woman by the name of Rachel Levy who was living in the suburbs of Richmond, Virginia. She told me she had heard of my involvement in advocating for the name changes of public high schools named after Confederate generals in Fairfax County Virginia. During the course of our telephone call, Rachel mentioned that her parents were civil rights lawyers in Washington DC - Ed and Mary Levy!
Virginia Avniel Spatz
August 8, 2024
Mary Levy, of blessed memory, has really stood out in my decades of involvement in DC politics: Amazingly knowledgeable, but never made you feel stupid or uninformed and willing to share what she knew. Aware of how things work in politics, but never let tactics replace community needs. Knew people from all walks of life and treated everyone well. A mensch [true human] and such a lovely soul.
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