Mary Tindal Rainey - geophysicist, nature lover, sports enthusiast and artist – passed away on Aug. 17, 2015 after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. Her husband Jack Medlin, and long-time friend Roger Austin, were at her side. In her last weeks she was surrounded and supported by her wide circle of friends in the Reston area, as well as family members and expert hospice care.
Mary was born and raised in Atlanta, Ga. Her father taught English for many years at Georgia Tech, so Mary lived and played on campus, as well as in the Ansley Park area near-by. She earned her BA in Geology at West Georgia College, where she met favorite professors Dr. Jack Medlin, Dr. Roger Austin, and Mr. Tom Crawford. After graduating with a master’s degree in geophysics from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Mary went to work in the oil industry in Houston, starting out at Exxon. She remembered with fondness and gratitude being mentored by several more experienced colleagues, particularly Bob Mitchum in sequence stratigraphy. Over the next couple of decades she built her reputation as a creative and intelligent seismic interpreter, working at Exxon, Kerr McGee, Pennzoil and other companies.
In 1998 Mary married her former professor, Jack Medlin, leaving behind her career in Houston for a new life in Reston. And what a full life she built with Jack. She loved the concept and reality of Reston, and took advantage of the walking paths, natural wooded areas, and parks. She explored several interests, including:
*Animal lover – Mary was a volunteer at a humane center and worked as a professional dog walker. Over the years Mary and Jack took several “unadoptable” beagles into their home. With Mary’s direction and attention, they became well-loved pets. It was a lucky cat or dog that ended up at Mary’s and Jack’s home.
*Sports – Mary was an accomplished tennis player and golfer. She volunteered as a starter at a local Reston golf course, and always enjoyed a game. She was a faithful and knowledgeable Atlanta Braves fan.
*Nature lover and gardener – Mary had a green thumb. The plants in her patio seemed to grow especially well for her, and she loved to visit Meadowlark Botanical Gardens and the Walker Nature Center. She worked for a time as a landscape consultant for a golf course.
*Artist – About twelve years ago Mary took an art course, and never looked back. She produced beautiful works in watercolor, pastels, acrylic and oils, and participated in shows at Lake Anne.
*Friend – Mary had an amazing circle of friends. They were scientists, artists, fellow dog walkers, “the coffee girls,” and animal lovers. She was quiet, but managed to keep in touch and add some new facet to the lives of her friends. She was opinionated and could carry on a debate at length. She did not hold back on a topic she cared about.
Mary is predeceased by her parents, Glenn W. Rainey, Sr and Dorothy Tindal Quattlebaum Rainey. She is survived by her three brothers – Edwin Q. Rainey, Sr (spouse Jann Boyer), Glenn W. Rainey, Jr. (Jane), and Hal G. Rainey (Lucy) – as well as five nieces and nephews, two “nieces-in-law,” and three first cousins – Penelope Holland Goodrich, Dr. Warren Holland, and Dr. James Tindal Quattlebaum.
Jack and Mary’s family and friends wish to thank caregiver Richette Walker for her attention and care over the past several months, the skillful physicians and nurses at Virginia Cancer Center, and the entire staff at Adler Center for Caring operated by Capital Caring. The hospice doctors and nurses provided expert care and comfort when it was most needed. All of Mary’s friends helped out, but an extra thank you goes to Julia Taylor, who organized “Mary’s Helping Hands,” and Roger Austin, who stayed for hours at the hospice clinic and was a rock of support to the end.
The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to any of the following: Fairfax County Animal Shelter (http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/animalshelter/); Basset Hound Rescue League, Inc. of Fort Washington, MD (http://bassethoundrescueleague.net/); World Wildlife Fund (http://www.worldwildlife.org/) ; or The Nature Conservancy. (http://www.nature.org/).