Mary Jean Rivers, PhD

Mary Jean Rivers, PhD of Lancaster, PA passed away on August 25, 2026 after a long illness. She leaves behind a loving family that took care of her every need, and academic and professional associates with whom she collaborated and shared her leadership skills.

She was a kind, dignified professional woman who found happiness and success in her expansive career, and lived to enjoy the blessings of motherhood and the reward of grandchildren.

Mary Jean Rivers was born October 3, 1942, in Pittsburgh, PA to Genevieve Newman Bills and Harold Bills. She married John Rivers of Pittsburgh, on August 3, 1968. She and John became a family of three when their daughter Anne was born.

Mary Jean Rivers, Ph.D., will be remembered and celebrated by many for her devotion to her professional life in economics and research. As a professor of economics and statistics at Seattle University, she focused on theoretical foundations to try and relate real-world decisions in government and everyday life.

Early in her academic career, her research ranged broadly across applied economics. She studied consumer behavior and the emerging world of hotel loyalty programs before turning significant attention to public finance and municipal bond markets. Her published research examined why cities seek bond ratings and how the size and location of municipalities affect their access to financial markets. Her research was published in the Journal of Economics and Business, Journal of Travel Research, Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, and The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance.

At Seattle University, Mrs. Rivers became both an educator and academic leader as the Director of the Master of Arts in Applied Economics program, ultimately serving as the Associate Dean of The Albers School of Business. Throughout her career, she helped students move beyond economic theory to understand how economics could be applied to complex decisions facing businesses, governments and communities.

While Mary Jean thrived on being an economist, she was also a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. She filled that part of her life with warmth, grace, dignity, and the love a mother and grandmother knows. All the time encouraging academic endeavors. She took great pride in her daughter’s education (a degree in economics from the University of Chicago) and successful career.

She is survived by her husband of 58 years, John Rivers; her daughter Anne Rivers Sudderth, Anne’s husband Jake; her two granddaughters, Ashley and Brooke Sudderth and her grandson: Cole Sudderth; her sister Elaine Muecklisch and her nephew Todd Muecklisch (wife Denise and son Mason Muecklisch).

While she had an extremely impressive career and enjoyed being one of the first women in the field, Mary Jean Rivers was humble and did not consider herself special. Those close to her knew her as a reserved woman, who wanted all the things a mother wants for their children and grandchildren: a good education, good health, friends, family and happiness. She was a good listener, a helpful editor, and she enjoyed being included in family projects.

She had a wide range of interests including a love of art museums and afternoon tea. She enjoyed lobster, Manhattan clam chowder, oysters and chocolate. Trips to Starbucks were a favorite and she enjoyed travel to destinations of interest. She had a special spot in her heart for Old English Sheep dogs, including Yankee, Boo, Lucy and Lady.

Mary Jean had a special relationship with her grandchildren who at ages 15, 13 and 9 spent much of their lives celebrating birthdays, holidays, and often daily dinners with their grandparents. They understood the importance of sharing information about their school lives, sports, concerts, plays and appreciated the life history they learned about their Grandmother and how things were when their mother was a little girl.

Mary Jean will be remembered by her family for her love of making things special for holidays. They will remember how she loved holidays, especially Christmas. Decorating trees, holiday candles, festive drinks, cookies, indoor and outdoor lights and packages to celebrate.

Mary Jean will be laid to rest on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at Calvary Cemetery in Pittsburgh, 718 Hazelwood Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 at 1PM.