Fairfax County government officials and other civic leaders are paying tribute to former Sully District Supervisor Michael Frey, who died Feb. 16.

“We’re all in shock” at the unanticipated passing of the former supervisor, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at the body’s Feb. 17 meeting, observing that Frey “left us far too soon, with so much more to give.”


Harry J. Lister, who in the 1970s helped revamp regulations around retirement savings and spent his 70s and 80s enjoying his own retirement, died June 27 at his home in Ashburn, Virginia. He was 89 years old.

A native of Westwood, New Jersey, and a resident of Reston, Virginia, for nearly 50 years, he spent his entire career in investment management – first as an officer with the Wall Street firm Calvin Bullock, Ltd., in Manhattan, then for more than three decades with Washington Management Corp., a subsidiary of Johnston, Lemon Group in Washington, D.C.


Fairfax County has lost another influential elected representative and public servant.

Former Hunter Mill District supervisor Cathy Hudgins, who made local history when she was first elected to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 1999, died on Saturday, May 25 at the age of 81, her family announced over the weekend.


Former Fairfax County School Board member Janie Strauss, who has died at age 78, is being remembered as a community champion with a focus on improving the lives of youth.

Strauss, who served as the school board’s Dranesville District member for nearly 30 years, representing the McLean, Great Falls and Herndon areas, died at home on April 11 after a year-long battle with glioblastoma brain cancer, her family said.


Raymond Lopez passed away on Jan.16,2025, just days shy of his 78th birthday. He was born in Pennsylvania and went to Valley Forge Military Academy. At age 17 he forged his father’s’ signature to get into the Regular Army. His Military Occupation Specialty was Airborne Infantry Unassigned. He became a Sergeant in the Airborne Rangers and a dog handler. Ray did several tours in Vietnam (where he received his draft notice) and special assignments. He called the Army his “Travel Agent” because of the diversity it offered. His passion was teaching and training junior personnel.

In civilian life he was a Pennsylvania State Trooper, a Deputy Federal Marshal, and spent 20 years working as a Police Officer for the US Treasury Mint in Philadelphia. In 2002 he retired from federal service. He moved to Virginia where his wife, Donna, was working as a military subcontractor for the Marine Corps at Quantico. Ray eventually became a policeman in the Town of Quantico, located inside the base. Quantico was his dream job. He enjoyed taking care of the residents and the young Marines. Ray spoke many languages and seamlessly connected with the foreign students attending The Basic School.