FAMILY

Mary was the second of seven girls. She also has one brother. Mary fondly remembers her mother: “She was a very caring, loving, giving, and hard-working mom who protected her brood with discipline like a mother hen. She found ways – ingenuity – to get by, living on bare necessities.” Mary’s dad was an alcoholic, leaving the family for long periods which eventually led to a divorce. Her mother remarried when Mary was 14.

She took care of family members for months during their end of life illnesses: her mother, her niece and her sister. She now helps her older sister with whom she shares a home. She said recently, “We went on a trip to visit friends and family and they doted over my sister because of her apparent health issues; however, my health issues are not apparent so I am always considered the strong, healthy one. Even so, most everyone thinks I’m the older sister, but I’m the younger one!”

FAITH

“I feel so much gratitude for the many outstanding Sunday School teachers my siblings and I had during those formative years.” And, yet, all those wonderful memories of Sunday School point to something that doesn’t make sense to her: not one person (as far as she knows) at any one of the churches ever offered to baptized anyone in her family! It wasn’t until Mary was married and pregnant that she was finally baptized. Her husband’s grandmother played that pivotal role. She was baptized by full immersion at Grandma Myrtle May’s church in Christopher, Illinois. Mary’s favorite Bible verse is Psalm 23, and “Here I Am Lord” is her favorite song.

Mary and Charlotte (Mary’s older sister with whom she now shares a home) had tried several churches in Escondido but, according to the sisters, hadn’t found a “warm, welcoming church” until they found Community Lutheran. She came to “try out” Community Lutheran Church in 1998 after Charlotte and her daughter, Doreen, had come to our church and felt welcomed. Mary decided to come by herself to see if, in fact, she would receive the same welcoming reception as her sister. She did. Church member Cathy Balzum welcomed her and took her to the coffee area after the service and talked to her about the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) and other church related activities.

USO (UNITED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS)

Her desire to serve others with the heart of Christ grew in Vietnam in 1969 when Mary was hired as the Director of a USO center on Qui-Nhon base, responsible for 20 Vietnamese employees during the day and six GI’s covering the evening shift. Helping to boost the morale of the troops in the 173^rd Airborne Division, Mary assisted Chaplain Mathis with a rare delivery of big steaks, fruits, vegetables, and sodas provided by the USO to the troops – along with a grill to cook them, via helicopter. She was also involved in coloring eggs and then flying them on Chaplain Mathis’ helicopter to the troops for Easter. Unofficially partnering with the Red Cross on behalf of a soldier or his family, Mary was the go-between when there was a death in the family, a sick child, or other life event calling for the soldier to return home.

Seeking out the newly-arrived wounded, Mary would frequently visit the 67^th Evac Hospital. As often as possible, she would take a picture of a patient and help that man to record one side of a cassette tape. She would then record the opposite side of the cassette with information about the wounded patient, place his picture in with the tape, and send it to his family. She did this over and over again for many patients, following up by expediting the delivery of those cassettes to the anxious families in the States.

The American Forces Radio Station in Thailand requested the USO staff get involved in providing a radio program whereby GI’s and family members could request specific songs. The result was a program called, “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” referring to Mary and two other female USO staffers.

On July 29, 1970 Mary was awarded the Medal of Civilian Service in Vietnam, signed by General Creighton Abrams, U.S. Military Systems Command, Vietnam. The medal is similar to medals given to the military for exemplary service. Mary’s daughter, Kathy, joined her in Thailand in 1972 for six months as a full-time USO volunteer.

In 1995, Mary returned to Vietnam with a group of women who had served there during the war years. Actress/entertainer Connie Stevens accompanied the group. Stevens produced and directed a movie about that return trip entitled, “A Healing.” The movie was first shown at the dedication of the Women’s Memorial in D.C. in 1997. Mary was honored and delighted to be able to sit at Connie Stevens’ table with her family at the dedication especially since there were thousands who attended the dedication.

OLYMPICS

Working with the mentally handicapped ages 12-30, Mary was, starting at 56, a downhill ski coach for the Special Olympics in 1986-1989 in Vista. Mary said, “They were very lovable and it was a joy to work with them.” Becoming a Certified Field and Track Coach, Mary was a volunteer for the 1990 Special Olympics summer camp at UCLA. She has attended two Olympics: the winter Olympics in Lillihamer in December 1994 and the 1960 Summer Games in Rome.

STEPHEN MINISTRY

Several years after joining Community Lutheran Church, the Spiritual Gifts class was offered for the first time and Mary decided to join. Not surprisingly, the results showed Mary excelled in the area of care giving for the elderly. Soon after, Mary was part of the first group training to be Stephen Ministers at Community. (For more information about Stephen Ministry, visit our webpage.)

Mary spent six years in her role as a Stephen Minister using her gift of caring for others – using what she had learned from her previous caring experiences and from her Stephen Ministry training. Mary recently “retired’ as a Stephen Minister after six years of serving others in this Christ-centered servant role so that she could focus on assisting and caring for her sister as needed. Since Mary has “retired” from Stephen Ministry, she has, with sister Charlotte, traveled to Costa Rica, New Orleans, Mexico, San Antonio, Savannah, Cape Cod, Branson, and Canada. Mary and Charlotte are also Preschool Prayer Partners to five Community Preschool children.

WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY TREE PROJECT? 

Community Lutheran Church is a growing congregation worshiping 550 people between two campuses each week. As we continue grow, it is important that our relationships with one another continue to grow as well.  Over the coming months, our church website and Facebook page will be introducing you to a member of Community that you may or may not know yet. You’ll have the opportunity to learn a little about each member and delight in the different personalities and lifestyles that come together each week to worship our Savior.

When you join us for worship on Sunday mornings or events throughout the week, we encourage you to reach out and connect with someone you don’t normally talk to. As Pastor Vogelsang so eloquently reminds us, we are all “dear Christian friends.” We just don’t know each other yet! I’d like to change that one photo at a time.

"So that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." - 1 Corinthians 12:25-27