Happy Birthday Mary!

Dear Mary,

Today is your 46th birthday and I had this idea of honoring you by starting a blog. I know you would appreciate the forum. You've been pushing me to sort through your stuff and this is my way of getting it going.

I find it comforting to talk about you and hear stories about you and thought maybe all those that you touched so profoundly might find it comforting as well. Even though I shared a special love with you, I know that there are so many people who feel they lost so much when you left us.

I will be posting different time frames of your life and hope that those who knew you will write stories in comments sections. I think you will appreciate building a timeline of your life through the eyes of those you touched. I know you wouldn't believe it when you were among us, but you touched so many people -- including those you don't remember.

I went to Yuma this weekend and spread your ashes
under the tree they planted for you on the grounds of Rancho Viego. There were more than a dozen of your friends/co-workers who stood around the tree and told Mary stories. The biggest theme of the stories was how you loved to dress up for Halloween and take your kindergartners on a parade through the other classes. We laughed at the thought of you and Greg Gorzycki dressed up as an oven and refrigerator -- although they couldn't agree on who dressed as what.



After we spread the ashes, we went to Chretin's for dinner -- actually a new version of the one you used to love to go to. Someone at the table (I think it was Linda) recognized the waitress, Maria (21), and asked who her kindergarten teacher was. "Ms. Quick. I remember her dressed as an oven with cookies popping out." -- mystery solved.


And speaking of spreading your ashes, I decided to take you with me everywhere so you can see lots of sites for the rest of eternity. After the kids went back to their mother in July, I went off for 3 weeks and spread you in a few places:

Lake Havasu:


Rainbow Bridge (with my Mom):



NAU:



I know you will have beautiful sunsets. Enjoy the views!!

Love,

Susan

Move to Phoenix

When Mary first moved to Phoenix, she substituted for a while. I know that she later questioned the move for financial reasons, but really enjoyed her life here. She found a house in the historic district and it has evolved over the years to what it is now.

The Yuma Years

Mary started her teaching career in Yuma. It was during the first part of her career, she lost both her parents -- her mother to heart disease and her father two years later to Alzheimer's. Her friends in her life became her family.

The Ajo Years

I don't know much from her Ajo years other than her friendships with Cheryl and Manuel. Also, she got to know Liza from New Zealand to where she later traveled.

Birth to Ajo

Mary was born September 30, 1963 and grew up in East St. Louis. Her sophmore year in high school her parents moved to Ajo, AZ.