Obituary for Mary Sullivan Linhart
Mary Sullivan Linhart, 85, of Winchester, VA, passed away Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at Winchester Medical Center.
Mary was born April 29, 1937, a daughter of the late Laurence and Helen Keating Sullivan. She graduated from Handley High School in the class of 1955. She left Winchester for New York City where she received her undergraduate degree from the College of Mount Saint Vincent in 1959. Mary, always a trailblazer, went on to receive her master’s degree in history from the University of Virginia in 1963, seven years before the first official co-ed graduating class of the University. In her later years, Mary earned her PhD in American history from George Mason University in 2014, focusing her thesis on her home town of Winchester. In a local NBC news spotlight, Mary was celebrated as the eldest in her graduating class, and was quoted as saying, “I believe learning and knowledge are important and should be a lifetime pursuit. Knowledge leads to understanding and hopefully wisdom. The world is endlessly fascinating.”
Mary taught junior high school, and later joined AT&T where she began her career in information technology. She later moved to the National Institutes of Health and Department of the Army. Her last position before retirement was at the National Labor Relations Board where she led major information technology projects. Following her retirement, she worked for George Mason University as a database administrator while pursuing her doctoral degree.
Mary loved music. She was an organist in the Catholic church for 70 years, influencing her grandchildren’s love of music, happily and generously helping fund their musical lessons over the years. She was also a crossword puzzle genius, an avid reader, a lover of everything Winchester, and proud “GrandMary.” She truly did find the world endlessly fascinating, and that influence will live on in those who knew and loved her.
Mary is survived by her daughters, Catherine Linhart (Billy) of Rehoboth Beach, DE, Susan Linhart (Aaron) of Las Vegas, NV, Jennifer Fox (Mark) of Leesburg, VA; grandchildren, Eleanor Mary Fox, McKenna Catherine Fox, Jane Caroline Fox; sisters, Helen Sullivan Grove of Winchester, Ann Sullivan Anderson of Winchester, Catherine Sullivan Gillette (John) of Millersville, MD; brothers, Laurence O. Sullivan (Linda) of Winchester, John Robert Sullivan (Joan) of Huntington, PA, Thomas Michael Sullivan (Claudia) of Hamilton, VA; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Along with her loving husband, Richard Wellmay Linhart, Mary is preceded in death by her brother-in-law, Tom Grove.
The family will receive friends at Sacred Heart Church of Jesus from 10:00 am to 11:00 am on Wednesday, January 25, 2023. A funeral mass will follow at 11:00 am. Burial will take place at Sacred Heart Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Mary’s name to the Handley Library at 100 W Piccadilly Street Winchester, VA 22601.
Mary was born April 29, 1937, a daughter of the late Laurence and Helen Keating Sullivan. She graduated from Handley High School in the class of 1955. She left Winchester for New York City where she received her undergraduate degree from the College of Mount Saint Vincent in 1959. Mary, always a trailblazer, went on to receive her master’s degree in history from the University of Virginia in 1963, seven years before the first official co-ed graduating class of the University. In her later years, Mary earned her PhD in American history from George Mason University in 2014, focusing her thesis on her home town of Winchester. In a local NBC news spotlight, Mary was celebrated as the eldest in her graduating class, and was quoted as saying, “I believe learning and knowledge are important and should be a lifetime pursuit. Knowledge leads to understanding and hopefully wisdom. The world is endlessly fascinating.”
Mary taught junior high school, and later joined AT&T where she began her career in information technology. She later moved to the National Institutes of Health and Department of the Army. Her last position before retirement was at the National Labor Relations Board where she led major information technology projects. Following her retirement, she worked for George Mason University as a database administrator while pursuing her doctoral degree.
Mary loved music. She was an organist in the Catholic church for 70 years, influencing her grandchildren’s love of music, happily and generously helping fund their musical lessons over the years. She was also a crossword puzzle genius, an avid reader, a lover of everything Winchester, and proud “GrandMary.” She truly did find the world endlessly fascinating, and that influence will live on in those who knew and loved her.
Mary is survived by her daughters, Catherine Linhart (Billy) of Rehoboth Beach, DE, Susan Linhart (Aaron) of Las Vegas, NV, Jennifer Fox (Mark) of Leesburg, VA; grandchildren, Eleanor Mary Fox, McKenna Catherine Fox, Jane Caroline Fox; sisters, Helen Sullivan Grove of Winchester, Ann Sullivan Anderson of Winchester, Catherine Sullivan Gillette (John) of Millersville, MD; brothers, Laurence O. Sullivan (Linda) of Winchester, John Robert Sullivan (Joan) of Huntington, PA, Thomas Michael Sullivan (Claudia) of Hamilton, VA; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Along with her loving husband, Richard Wellmay Linhart, Mary is preceded in death by her brother-in-law, Tom Grove.
The family will receive friends at Sacred Heart Church of Jesus from 10:00 am to 11:00 am on Wednesday, January 25, 2023. A funeral mass will follow at 11:00 am. Burial will take place at Sacred Heart Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Mary’s name to the Handley Library at 100 W Piccadilly Street Winchester, VA 22601.