Mary Nicholas Humphries, loved her time in Rehoboth Beach
Mary Nicholas (Nicki) Humphries died unexpectedly Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022, as a result of a non-COVID-19 related condition; she was in good health and had not been ill.
Nicki was born July 4, 1948, in Charlottesville, Va. She was the fourth of five children of the late Marion Kemper Humphries Jr., M.D. and the late Zaida Thomas Humphries.
Nicki attended St. Anne’s School in Charlottesville. She received the Bishop’s Prize, awarded to the most outstanding member of the senior class. Nicki attended Wellesley College in Massachusetts. She was a Durant Scholar at Wellesley, graduating in 1970. After Wellesley, Nicki attended the University of Virginia School of Law. There were only 16 women in her graduating class of more than 300. At UVA Law, Nicki was an editor of the law review and graduated Order of the Coif, the Phi Beta Kappa of American law schools.
Nicki began her legal career in Baltimore at the firm now known as Venable LLP, having been recruited by Frederick J. Motz, now Senior Judge, United States District Court of Maryland.
After several years in private practice, Nicki was hired by Attorney General Stephen H. Sachs and joined the Maryland Attorney General’s Office. She first worked in the education division. Later, she was appointed principal counsel to the Maryland Department of Budget and Fiscal Planning. At that same time, she was counsel to the Maryland Board of Public Works, which consisted of Gov. Harry R. Hughes, Treasurer William S. James, and Comptroller Louis L. Goldstein.
In 1984, Nicki was hired by President and Chief Executive Officer Morton Rapoport, M.D, to be the first senior vice president and general counsel to the newly formed University of Maryland Medical System. Nicki remained in that position until resigning in 2003, after a change in leadership. Nicki next joined the Baltimore City solicitor’s office. She was hired by City Solicitor George Nilson to be a chief solicitor until retiring in 2015.
In her retirement, Nicki enjoyed spending time at a second home in Rehoboth Beach with her husband Jack and their rescue dog Finn. Nicki loved spending time with her children, reading, walking in Rehoboth and on the beach with her daughter Rachel and her husband Jack. She loved sunny days and gardening at the beach.
Nicki was enormously proud of her children's academic accomplishments, including Rachel’s graduation from Amherst College and her son Matt’s graduation from her alma mater, the University of Virginia Law School.
Nicki is survived by her husband of more than 40 years, Jack C. Tranter; and her two beloved children, Rachel Humphries Tranter and Richard Matthew Humphries Tranter. She is also survived by her three older siblings, Marion Kem-per Humphries Jr., M.D. (Jane) of Smith Mountain Lake, Va., Betty H. Williams (Jack) of Richmond, Va., and Zaida H. Meade of Sacramento, Calif.; and her younger sister, Catherine H. Martin of Roanoke, Va. She is also survived by 11 nieces and nephews, and 15 great-nieces and -nephews.
A memorial service will be held sometime in the near future, most likely in the spring.
Donations in Nicki’s memory can be made to Wellesley College, University of Virginia Law School, Friends School of Baltimore (to support the financial assistance program), and BARCs.
No flowers, please.
