Mary Catherine "MC" Paynter

Mary Catherine Paynter (MC) passed away suddenly on November 14, 2025 and is dearly
missed by her four children, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren along with many
additional family members and so many wonderful friends.
Born in the Chevy Chase area of Washington, DC on October 1, 1932, MC was the first child to
Mae Sophia Parrigin and Charlie Parrigin and sister to Charlie Parrigin, Jr. MC graduated from
the University of Maryland where she earned a Bachelors of Arts in Business Management.
MC was often the only woman in her business and accounting classes and although she did
not know it at the time she would become a trailblazer for women in the workplace in the years
to come.
MC met her future husband and father to her four children, Kennedy Troy Paynter, Sr. (Ken) on
a blind date in Ocean City, Maryland while they both were attending the University of Maryland.
They fell in love and were married in 1956, settling in Vienna, Virginia where MC & Ken would
live for the rest of their lives. MC was a stay at home Mom for many years and was completely
devoted to her husband Ken and four children, Kennedy, Cathy, Cindy & Tim. Family vacations
every summer in Ocean City, Maryland and celebrating the wonder of Christmas and every
Holiday created lifelong memories for all the family that remain cherished by their children.
MC went back to work at the law firm she had worked for after her college graduation and
although she was hired as a floating legal secretary, she quickly worked her way up to office
manager. MC joined the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) and became President of
the ALA Capital Chapter in Washington DC. After the law firm dissolved, MC found her way to
Mayer Brown, LLP, a global law firm where she became the Legal Administrator for the
Washington, DC office, a place, a job, and a group of people she loved and worked hard for
staying with the firm until she retired at 70 years old in 2002.
After MC lost her beloved husband, Ken in 1997, MC met and eventually married Capt. William
Gooding Fisher, Jr. (Bill) in 2005 and they had 11 wonderful years together before his death in
2016. MC and Bill traveled the world and became “snow birds” during the winter months in
Naples, Florida for several years traveling with their car on a train back and forth. What fun
they had.
MC is survived by her loving children Kennedy Paynter (Lynn), Cathy Paynter, Cindy Walton
(Jim), and Tim Paynter and grandchildren, Kennedy (Sara), Ricky (Chelsie), and Becky Paynter
and Stephanie (Nate), and Drew Walton, and her great grandchildren, Ethan Paynter, Landon
Paynter, Haddie Bell, and Jack Paynter. MC is also survived by step-sons, Jim Fisher and
John Fisher. MC Paynter was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and
friend. MC will always be loved and remembered by her children, as a very loving and devoted
Mom who always took care of her family and others in her life right up to the minute she
passed away.
We will celebrate the life of MC Paynter on January 17, 2026 at 11:00AM at Immanuel
Presbyterian Church located at 1125 Savile Lane in McLean, Virginia where MC was a member
for over 53 years. A reception will follow at the Church and private family burial in Fairfax,
Virginia. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.