Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis
1788–1853 (age 65)
Biography
Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, born in 1788, brought grace and hospitality to Arlington, guiding its households and supporting charitable efforts while sharing her husband’s interest in commemorating the nation’s early ideals.
She remained a steady presence through the estate's early years, and when she died in 1853 her memory was honored at Arlington National Cemetery, where visitors still sense her devotion to family and community.