In loving memory of Mary Lee Withers Garbacz, who passed away Saturday morning, March 12, 2022, after a short illness. Mary Lee was born April 19, 1930, in Randolph County, WV, and was the last surviving member of her immediate family. Mary Lee was the youngest child of the late Rev. A. Brooke Withers and Zillah Valentine Withers. Her three siblings, Zillah Bunnell, Virginia Carskadden, and Brooke V. Withers preceded her in death. Surviving are two daughters, Christina Garbacz of Alexandria, VA, and Lisbeth Chandler of Herndon, VA; two sons, Stephen Garbacz and wife Ineke of Natick, MA; Robert Garbacz and wife Tina of Alexandria, VA; and five grandchildren, Nicholas Chandler, Pete Garbacz, Isabella Garbacz, Maxine Garbacz, and Alexander Garbacz.
After spending the first six years of her life in Parsons, WV, Mary Lee moved with her family to a farm near Kerens. She loved to tell her children and grandchildren stories about growing up on the farm, attending 4-H camp, and walking five miles uphill both ways to the two room school in Kerens. After graduating from Elkins High School, she followed her sisters to Washington, D.C. and found a job as a secretary at the Navy Department where she met her future husband, Michael L. Garbacz.
Mary lived for many years in Oakton, Virginia, and received an art degree from the Northern Virginia Community College. She painted mostly as a hobby and her art was in several shows, including the Vienna Art Society and Fairfax Art in Public Places. She loved to travel and once climbed to the top of the Great Pyramid of Giza. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend and will be greatly missed.
No services are planned following Mary’s wishes. Contributions can be made to the charity of your choice.