Mary Dee died peacefully at Fairfax Hospital after a very short illness.

She was the wife of Raymond native CAPT(ret., USN) Oliver V. Shearer, Jr. (deceased), and moved from Raymond (Riggs Manor) to VA following Oliver's death in 2022.  She lived at Heatherwood Retirement Community for almost three years, which was a return to Northern Virginia where she and Oliver lived for many years, both during his Naval career, as well as in retirement.

Mary Dee was born in Natchez, MS and met Oliver at Hinds Junior College. They continued dating while Oliver attended the Naval Academy and Mary Dee got her Nursing BA at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland.

As a Navy wife herself and with her husband, she raised all three children to be Naval Officers and they ultimately retired in Clinton, MS. They later moved to Riggs Manor and faithfully attended Raymond Presbyterian Church where Oliver was a member while growing up.

Mary Dee lived a life rooted in her faith in Christ, her family, and music (she sang in church choirs, as well as the Navy Officers' Wives Choir), Bible studies, and learning new things.  She embraced her roles as a mother, wife, grandmother, and mother-in-law. She remained steadfast in her deep spiritual faith, which saw her through the many trials of life...including illness.

Mary Dee was preceded in death by her son, CDR(ret.USNR) Oliver Vassar Shearer III (and wife, Shelley) both deceased, and missed by their children: Elizabeth and Michael; her daughter, CDR(ret.USNR) Sue Dietrich (husband King, and their children: Kate, Gregg and Drew (deceased): and CDR(ret.USN) Cliff Shearer (wife Charlene, and their children: Buddy, Luke, Charlie and Campbell).