Marya Katherine Dull

She was born July 24, 1938 in Rutherford, New Jersey and spent her formative years there, graduating from Rutherford High School. She graduated from New Rochelle College before teaching elementary school, and worked as a proofreader for many years in New York City. After living with and caring for her mother in Wilmington, Delaware for about thirty years, she married Jim Washington, a grade-school sweetheart, in 2005. During their happy marriage, they traveled around the United States and danced with Scottish Country Dancers.

She is predeceased by her husband, James M. Washington, Sr.; by parents, James and Gertrude Dull; and by brothers Martin and Rev. James G. Dull.

She is survived by brothers, Carl and wife Linda, and John and wife Helen; and several nieces and nephews; as well as five stepchildren from her marriage: Jean, James, John, David, and Athena.

Marya sang soprano. She was a member of many choirs over the years, singing in Richmond, Tanglewood, Canterbury, and Carnegie Hall, among other places.

A devout Catholic, Marya was a member of the choir at Richmond’s Church of the Epiphany. After husband Jim passed away, she participated in Lifelong Learning and traveled extensively in Europe and the Far East with friends and nieces and nephews.

She died peacefully at home after a long illness, lately suffering total blindness and increasing deafness, under the loving care of her stepdaughter Jean Hall and stepson James Washington Jr., and Jean’s daughter Samantha.

There was a Mass in Marya’s honor on August 26 at Church of the Epiphany.

Memorial donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the American Cancer Society.

There will be a memorial mass at the Catholic Church of the Epiphany in Richmond on Thursday, October 7 at 1 PM.