Mary Henry Rexford

Mary Henry Rexford, passed away on February 12, 2016, at her home in Falls Church, Va. She is survived by her loving husband of 23 years, Randy Rexford; her siblings, Diane O’Neill (John), Rick Henry, Kerry Henry, Joanne Bulka (Dan) and Brian Henry; nieces and nephews and many, many, many friends. The family will receive friends at Murphy Funeral Home, Falls Church on Friday, February 19th (on Mary’s birthday) from 2 to 4 PM & 6 to 8 PM. A Funeral Service will follow in the Spring at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, Kensington, Md. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Life with Cancer (go to www.lifewithcancer.org to Support Us, (click) Online/Mail-in Contributions (and make a donation in honor of Mary). This organization was of great help and solace to Mary during her battle with lung cancer. Condolences may be left at murphyfuneralhomes.com.

A brief biography on Mary;

Mary Henry Rexford was born and raised a Washingtonian who retained lifelong friends and interests locally, and yet, traveled the world through her professional life. Mary was born at Georgetown Hospital and raised in a Catholic home in Kensington, Maryland by her parents Richard and Dorothy Henry along with 5 siblings. She had one older sister, Diane, two younger sisters, Kerry and Joanne, and two younger brothers Rick and Brian. She is also survived by her loving and devoted husband, Randy Rexford. Recently, they became parishioners of St. Phillips Apostle Catholic Church in Falls Church, VA.

Mary attended Holy Redeemer grade school in Kensington, MD. She continued her education at Albert Einstein High School, Kensington, MD and went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, attending both Frostburg State University and University of Maryland. On June 28, 1992 Mary exchanged wedding vows with Randy Rexford on the lovely grounds of Airlie in Warrenton, Virginia. Their 23 year marriage was enriched a decade ago when "Kitty" showed up on their doorstep; she was immediately adopted and brought great joy to Mary and Randy.

Management and leadership skills were focal points in Mary's career. Initially, employed as a Manager of Safeway stores, she focused on Management and Labor relations. After a number of years, she transitioned to the consulting world at Price Waterhouse, where she held a number of positions including training, consulting and project management. Mary's love of travel started here with consulting and training work at State Department sites around the world. She had many stories to tell and cherished mementos from the trips. Eventually, she returned to stateside work and plunged into major consulting and project management efforts. At this stage of her career, she developed a new satisfaction with these leadership opportunities, and lasting friendships with her "GAPS" project team. Mary also met her future husband Randy while consulting with the State department.

Her interests were broad. After Price Waterhouse, she found a great niche when she took on a position at Sloans Auction House where she was able to research art and design in the depth that would lead her to other new interests. The George Washington University presented her with a certificate in Appraisal Studies in Fine and Decorative Arts in 2000. That allowed her to be a great asset when cataloging family heirlooms. Again she moved on, and was proudly mentioned at the top of her class when she earned the coveted AKBD certification from the National Kitchen & Bath Association in November 2008 which is the hallmark of achievement for bath and kitchen professionals.

On the home front, there were other interests. She was passionate about landscaping and gardening. Mary and Randy enjoyed a number of biking trips over the years. With Diane, she bought a sailboat and took sailing lessons at Annapolis School. Mary was an avid reader and was part of a book club for over 15 years. Our extended family enjoyed "Beach Week" in the Outer Banks for a number of years; it was a relaxing and fun tradition for all of us. Her personal travel was as varied as her professional trips. Favorite spots included Australia, Alaska, and her dream trip to China in 2012.

All that knew her would agree that Mary lived life with her feet firmly on the ground. She was pragmatic in her thoughts and acts, and constantly sought self- improvement. She was willing to share her ideas and knowledge for the benefit of others. Mary touched us in a very special way. To each of us uniquely. We love her for that.

Mary passed away on 2/12/2016 at 11:53 am at her home in Falls Church, Virginia with her beloved husband and family at her side. Mary fought a brave, selfless and dignified battle with cancer.