Mary Everett

Mary “Mummum” Everett died on July 10, 2017, in Boulder, Colorado, just shy of her 89th birthday. Mary was born in New Tredegar, Wales, on August 2, 1928, to parents Freda and William Preece. She had three brothers: Ronald, Brinley and Lyndon. She spent her youth in New Tredegar before moving to Hereford, England, with her family while she was still quite young. Mary entertained her family with stories of her younger days in Hereford. She shared that her father had a war garden and raised chickens. He could never kill a chicken so he would have the neighbor do it for him. The neighbor would receive a chicken as payment. Mary also loved to tell a story about the time she and her classmates had to go underground into the air raid shelter during World War II. Mary’s teacher had asked if anyone could sing, to entertain the other children. Mary replied that she could tap dance and proceeded to tap dance for the class. She also recalled loving to dance the “jitterbug” during her teenage years when she and her girlfriend, Betty, would go to the dance clubs. At the end of the war, at the age of 17, Mary married Clarence King and sailed to the United States to begin a new life. She was supposed to board the Queen Mary but it was completely filled, so her luggage traveled on the Queen Mary while Mary boarded the President Tyler on May 3, 1946. She arrived in New York on May 20. Mary traveled to California by train where she spent most of her adult life. In 1950, Mary married Gilbert Coates in San Bernardino, CA. They moved to Riverside, CA, where she worked as a carhop, dental assistant and loan assistant for Budget Finance. She stayed close to her family in England through letters and phone calls. Her parents came to live with her in 1955 but could only stay about a year. Mary married George (Bud) Everett, the love of her life, on November 25, 1961, in Riverside, CA. They lived in Riverside until 1964 when George was transferred to San Diego through his work for Pacific Bell Telephone Co. They enjoyed their life in Allied Gardens, San Diego, where they became Charger and Padres fans. In 1968, Bud was again transferred, this time to Tustin in Orange County, where they bought a home in Tustin Meadows. Mary and Bud joined the Tustin Meadows community, enjoying life with the many friends they made there. Mary continued working outside the home for the Saddleback Inn and Newporter Hotel, which further expanded their network of friends. Their final home together was in Coto de Casa, Rancho Santa Margarita, where George passed on April 11, 1996. Besides her husband and children, Mary’s passions were socializing with their friends, working as a realtor in the 1980s and acting as a racetrack “Mom” for her son Rod. After Bud’s passing, she enjoyed helping at Rod’s shop as a bookkeeper, when he owned Landmark Motorsports. Mary spent the last 20 years of her life living with her daughter, Bobbette. They lived in Irvine, Temecula and Laguna Woods, California for about twelve years before moving to Frederick, Colorado, in 2011 to live with Bobbette and her husband, Dave. Because of declining health, Mary spent the last five years of her life in a care facility. Mary is survived by her brother, Lyndon Preece, her four children: Wayne (Mari) Everett of Murrieta, CA, Ron (Sandi) Everett of Sonoma, CA, Bobbette (Dave) Lebsock of Frederick, CO, and Rod (Barbara) Everett also of Murrieta, CA. Besides her children, Mary is survived by nine grandchildren: Joanne Schwartz, Aaron Everett, Monique Dey, Ami Mishler, Anya Everett, Travis West, Kelly Jo Trejo, Lacey Everett and Chad Everett. Mary also leaves sixteen great-grandchildren in the United States and many nieces and nephews in England. Mary is remembered fondly for her love of cooking, particularly for family holiday gatherings (everyone remembers her Mocha Torte), and her joyous sense of humor. Services for Mary will be at the El Toro Memorial Park, 25751 Trabuco Rd., Lake Forest, CA, on August 12 at 10:00 AM.