Marie Gilley Athey

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Marie Gilley Athey passed away on May 6, 2025, surrounded by her family. She was born on April 21, 1934, in Augusta, Maine to Edna May (Ellis) Gilley (d. 1970) and Wallace Oakes Gilley (d 1974) on the family farm on Churchill Road.

After her years at the one-room schoolhouse on Churchill Road, Marie graduated from Cony High School in 1952. She was recruited by the Federal Government to work as secretary in Washington, D.C. Along with several classmates from Cony, Marie ventured to Washington. On one of her many bus trips back home to Maine in 1955, she met her husband, Sam, who was the driver. They went on to have three children together and lived in Falls Church, Va.

After returning to work after staying at home as long as possible, Marie became a legal secretary and then a paralegal. After her retirement in the mid 1990’s, Marie moved to Ashburn, Va., where she was active in her community. She was known for her scrumptious Valentine‘s Day Teas—especially her delicious scones. Marie was an avid bowler. She bowled for over 20 years with her Wednesday Morning Ladies league, The Rolling Pins, at The Branch Bowling Alley in Leesburg, Va.

As is stated in her 1955 Cony High School yearbook, Marie was known (and always will be known) for her “sweet smile and sunny disposition.”

She is survived by her children, David Wallace Athey of Taylorstown, Va., Christopher Charles Athey (Lisa) of Ashburn, Va., and Carolyn Marie Dooley (partner, Gary) of Cumberland, R.I. She is survived by seven grandchildren, Annemarie of Antarctica, Carl (Erin) of London, England, and Samuel of Ithaca, NY, Jessica (partner, Brian) of Fallston, Md., and Elisabeth (partner, Justin) of Charles Town, WV, and Joseph (Shelley) of Austin, Texas and Stephanie (Levi) of North Attleboro, Mass.; and four great grandchildren, Lilly, Adam, and Lydia; and Quinn.She is also survived by several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was predeceased by her husband, Samuel George Athey, Jr (d 1984). She is also predeceased by her siblings, Ethel M. Chadwick (1989; Harry; Hugh,1973), Kenneth O. Sr. (d. 2012; Aldrienne d. 2002), Wilfred N.(d.1964; Claire), and Chester C. Gilley (d. 2017; Ellen, d. 2019); son-in-law, Stephen R. Dooley (d. 2018) and stepsons, Samuel G. Athey, III (d. 1997) and Preston Athey (d. 2017).

Services will be held on May 17, 2025, at Loudoun Funeral Chapel at 11 a.m. for public visitation, followed by the funeral service at noon, with reception immediately following. Private burial will be family only at Columbia Gardens in Arlington, Virginia.

Flowers are welcome; however, donations in her honor, as she requested,

can be made to:

the National Kidney Foundation