Chris Radziewski

Mary Christine (Crittenden) Radziewski, affectionately known as ‘Chris’, a proud fourth generation Washingtonian and beloved resident of Alexandria for the past 44 years, passed away peacefully on January 19, 2026, after an extended illness. She was 88 years old.

Born on August 26, 1937, in Washington, D.C., to Herbert Alvin and Anna Mary (Cronin) Crittenden, Chris lived a life rooted in family, service, curiosity and a deep appreciation for the world around her. She was devoted to her faith and was a loyal parishioner of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Alexandria, VA

Chris graduated from the Academy of Notre Dame in Washington, D.C. in 1955 and went on to attend Trinity College, where she cultivated the intellectual curiosity that would follow her throughout her life. She met her future husband, John Radziewski, Sr., an Airman 2nd Class in the United States Air Force at the time, in 1956. They married in April 1958, had four children and divorced in 1973.

After 14 years of being a dedicated stay-at-home mom to four young children, she began her career with the General Services Administration in Washington, D.C. in 1974 to support her family, and subsequently found her professional home at the United States Secret Service. From 1976 until her retirement in 2000, she served as an intelligence research specialist, in which she identified threats, analyzed complex data and produced intelligence that guided agents and decisionmakers. It was a role she embraced with dedication, discretion and pride. One of the defining moments of her career was attending the 1986 Reykjavik Summit in Iceland during the Reagan Administration, an experience she cherished and recounted with quiet wonder.

Chris’s love of travel was one of her greatest joys. She explored much of Europe—wandering through Ireland’s green countryside, England’s historic streets, Italy’s sunlit piazzas, and the cultural treasures of Austria, Switzerland, Germany, France and Russia. She also delighted in discovering the beauty of the United States, returning often to her favorite places: New England in the fall, the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the summer, and California in the winter. Some of her most treasured memories were trips to Los Angeles and New Orleans with her daughters, where they shared unforgettable moments at entertainment industry events.

A devoted keeper of family history, Chris spent countless hours researching and documenting her family’s genealogy, preserving stories and connections that might otherwise have been lost to time. She was also an enthusiastic collector of antiques—especially commemorative spoons gathered from her travels, each one a small reminder of the places she loved and the adventures she embraced.

Family was the heart of Chris’s world. She rarely missed a holiday, birthday, graduation or wedding, and her presence brought warmth, humor and a sense of continuity to every gathering. Her home was always open, her stories always ready and her love always steady. She also had a lifelong affection for cats, adopting many over the years and giving each one a safe and loving home.

Chris is preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Timothy Joseph Crittenden, and is survived by her two sisters, Kathlyn Anne Crittenden of Alexandria, VA, and Maureen Elizabeth Edwards (Bill) of Silver Spring, MD and Phoenix, AZ; her four children, Susan Fleming of Bradenton, FL and Reston, VA, Sandy Raedels of Fairfax, VA, Sharon Radziewski of Alexandria, VA, and John Michael Radziewski, Jr (Terri) of Annandale, VA; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She leaves behind a family who adored her, admired her and will forever carry her spirit forward.

Chris’s life was rich with purpose, curiosity and love. She will be remembered for her sharp mind, her adventurous spirit, her devotion to family and the gentle kindness she extended to everyone—humans and animals alike. Her legacy lives on in the stories she preserved, the memories she created and the generations she nurtured.

May her memory be a blessing and a comfort to all who knew her.