Mary Louise DeWald Hill

Mary Louise DeWald Hill, formerly of Leesburg Virginia, died Tuesday August 29th at home after a lengthy illness.

She is survived by her husband Peter Mark Hill, her daughters Suzanne Hill Braunschweig and Jane Marie Hill, her son-in-law Brandt Braunschweig, her grandchildren Margaret (Annie) and Peter Braunschweig, her sisters Suzanne Forrest and Elizabeth Von Eiff and numerous friends and extended family members.

“Mary Lou” was a unique and passionate soul. She was born on July 6th 1939 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania to George and Mary (née White) Dewald. The eldest of three sisters, she grew up in Baltimore Maryland in the Roger’s Forge neighborhood.

After earning a Bachelors of Arts Degree in English at Notre Dame of Maryland University (formerly Notre Dame College) in Baltimore, Mary attended Georgetown University in Washington D.C, studying Medieval Literature. She interrupted her education when an opportunity presented itself to work for the Central Intelligence Agency. Recruited from her graduate studies, Mary became a C.I.A Analyst, achieving the level of G-7 when she left the agency, a remarkable accomplishment for a woman of her time.

At the birth of her two children, Suzanne and Jane, she left work to become a full time homemaker. She and her husband Peter raised their family in Baltimore until 1985. During this time Mary volunteered for the Baltimore Decorator’s Showhouse benefitting the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. There wasn’t an animal Mary disliked-and during this time she and Peter enjoyed raising and showing dogs with family members Stan and Shirley Hoffman. Many happy weekends were spent on the dog show circuit entering the family’s standard poodles Clyde, Victor, Taran, Gunner and Sassy in obedience and breed trials.

When her daughters began college, Mary and Peter moved to Sterling Virginia. Later moves for Peter’s work took them to Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and eventually back to Leesburg, Virginia where she and Peter lived for the last 23 years, making many close friends, including their much beloved Doberman, Cooper who is an important part of the family.

Mary was a gregarious and outgoing soul. She could make a friend of anyone and put anyone at ease. In Leesburg, she enjoyed the neighborhood book club, and was friends with all her neighbors, enjoying visits, shared meals, and community gatherings. She had a flair for beauty, an amazing aesthetic sense, and wherever she lived, created a home with beauty and heart. Over the years, she enjoyed hosting numerous holiday gatherings, parties and dinners for her family and friends. Mary-Lou was an accomplished poet, publishing work in the Atlantic magazine and as a young writer, winning a national poetry contest sponsored by the Atlantic. She became good friends with many folks in the New Orleans area where her daughter Jane lived, and hosted a poetry reading in Leesburg for New Orleans area poet Dennis Formento.

Mary Lou had a kind heart and supported several charities helping animals, the local Loudoun County Food Bank, Doctors Without Borders, the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and many others. She was interested in art of all kinds and was an avid reader of everything from novels, history, current events, politics and detective stories. Mary Lou often stunned friends with her ability to recite at the drop of a hat the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales in Medieval English, and was a fountain of information on literary topics.

For over 51 years, she was a devoted wife to her beloved husband Peter Hill. Her marriage to Peter, and her children Suzanne and Jane, were her greatest joy, as were her two grandchildren Peter and Annie.

In recent years Mary faced several serious illnesses with courage and grace, remaining optimistic and cheerful through it all. She was deeply attached to the sisters at the Carmelite Monastery of Baltimore and called them whenever anyone-family or friend-needed prayers.

Medieval scholar to the last, she was fond of quoting, during hard times, a line from “Deor’s Lament”, reminding us: “That was overcome-so may this be.”. A warm and brilliant woman, Mary-Lou’s life and legacy will be felt by many for a long time. She will be dearly missed.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday September 9th at ten am at the Carmelite Monastery of Baltimore 1318 Dulaney Valley Road Towson, MD 21286

Please park in the lower lot and carpool if possible.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Mary's memory to The Carmelite Monastery in Baltimore, Doctors Without Borders, or Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral Restoration Fund. Donation information is below

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