Mary Anne Nester, PhD, of Potomac, MD, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, February 7, 2025, after a long illness.

She was born in 1943 to Rev. William Wallace Sullivan II and Harriet Amanda (Howard) Sullivan of Trumbull, Connecticut, and enjoyed a happy childhood with her three siblings and a menagerie of pets. An exceptional student, she graduated from Smith College in 1965 and earned her PhD in Psychology from CUNY Brooklyn College. In 1973, she married Robert Wills Nester and they moved to the DC area, bringing up their two daughters in Arlington. In the course of her distinguished 35-year career as a personnel research psychologist, she earned numerous awards and enjoyed meeting intellectual challenges with her colleagues; she continued to work as a consultant in later years.

She was a scrupulously honest and careful thinker, dedicated to science and public service. She loved nature (especially birdwatching), the arts, reading widely, and the company of family and friends. Her keen intelligence, warmth, humor, genuine interest in people, and unerring ethical compass will be missed by all who knew her.

Her family extends its deepest gratitude to the excellent caregivers who supported her during her illness. She is survived by her daughters Anne (Spencer Hamblen) and Claire (Justin Hall), beloved grandsons Gregory, Thomas, and Timothy Hall; her loving sisters and sister-in-law Bonnie G. Smith Kelley, Rachel Mercurio, and Beverly Sullivan, brother-in-law Bernie Janicki, and dear nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her loving husband, parents, brother Bill, and in-laws Lenny Mercurio, Don Kelley, and Ginny Janicki. 

Her final resting place will be Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit Michigan. A memorial service is planned; please contact nester.memorial.service@gmail.com for details. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Nature Forward (https://natureforward.org/ , formerly the Audubon Naturalist Society), whose local nature walks she enjoyed for many years.