Mary Joe Rixey

She was born in Lathrop, Missouri to Caroline Collins Douglass, Wells and Gordon Alvaro Douglass. She married Admiral Charles Woodford Rixey USN, in 1948. They met while attending William Jewell College in Liberty Missouri, subsequently embarking on a career as the quintessential Navy wife, setting up homes in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Ogden Utah, Long Beach, California, Athens Georgia, Montreal Canada, Monterey California, Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania, Charleston South Carolina, Dunoon Scotland, Norfolk Virginia, finally landing in Alexandria Virginia.

Mary Joe worked as a docent in Charleston at the Nathaniel Russell house, later at Mount Vernon, and finally, commuting on the metro to the State Department, where she worked close to 30 years until she was 89. She played tennis and golf, loved salt in her beer and the color beige, she had a wicked sense of humor, and was loved by friends in every generation. She never knew a stranger.

Mary Joe is survived by three children, Susan Collins Rixey of Boulder Colorado, Dr. Sallie Rixey of Baltimore Maryland, and Vice Admiral Joseph Woodford Rixey USN retired of Arlington Virginia, eight grand children and two great grand children.