Mary Dean Perfater

Mary Frances Dean Perfater, 74, went to be with The Lord on July 7, 2022, at her home in Barboursville, VA, surrounded by her children and husband.

Mary came into the world on July 21, 1948, the third daughter of Aubrey and Edith Dean. Born and raised in Kensington, MD, Mary graduated from Albert Einstein High School, where she excelled academically and fell in love with dancing to pop music, even once appearing on American Bandstand! It was also in High School where Mary met and later married her high school sweetheart, Stephen Perfater, in Kensington, 1968. Mary and Stephen welcomed three children between 1969 and 1977.

Mary loved the Lord and was an active member of St Paul’s United Methodist Church in Kensington. She truly had a servant’s heart and loved to care for others. Whether it was cooking for people in need, babysitting children, or serving in Sunday School, Mary did it all. She made many life-long friends at St. Paul’s, and she was a kind, loving soul to all she met. Always a hard worker, she stayed home to raise her children, two daughters and a son, while she also worked in the family business. Mary had a humble career after her children were grown, providing Office Administration at a local Ultrasound School, and then working for the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, VA, before her retirement.

Mary is survived by the love of her life, her husband, Stephen Perfater, daughters Beth Perfater and Sarah Perfater, and son Matthew Perfater and his wife, Christina. She was also blessed with seven grandchildren, whom she was so proud of and greatly adored.

Mary was diagnosed with dementia in 2013, and she and Stephen fought hard for almost 10 years to keep her life as normal as possible. Long drives to all of the places they had loved, Ocean City, Williamsburg, Savannah, Skyline Drive, and visiting their children.

Her earthly body finally let go of Mary’s soul to be in Heaven, as Stephen, Beth, Sarah, and Matthew held her tight.

Mary was such a special person who will be missed immensely here on earth. Her life was one that honored the Lord; she was a good and faithful servant. We hold tight to the promises of God and know we will one day see her again, in heaven.