CAROLYN "ELISABETH" McPHAIL

Carolyn “Elisabeth” Johnson McPhail, affectionally known by many as “Bee,” died peacefully, with her loving family nearby, in the care of hospice in Monterey, California, at the age of 93 on Sunday, June 29th, 2025.

Elisabeth was born January 13th,1932 in Sacramento, and grew up there – first on 47th Street in downtown, and later, on 11th Avenue in Land Park.

She was a talented musician – a life-long piano player – who could read sheet music before learning to read words in school – was blessed with perfect pitch – and could sight read just about anything put in front of her.

She was a talented artist as well, starting to paint at 15, and enjoying oils all through her adult life – painting the many Victorian houses in Santa Cruz under the name “Peter Bern,” and later focusing on portraits, painting many members of the extended family, and close friends – perhaps her most notable portrait being of Ian, in his kilt. She went on to paint many still-lifes, and finally moved to non-representative abstracts. Her paintings grace the walls of homes throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Two of her large abstracts are part of the permanent collection of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.

Elisabeth was also a talented writer. In her later years, she enjoyed writing children’s adventure stories, with her four grandchildren as the heroes. These works were published together with the writings of other family members and are available on Amazon as Family Writings: by McPhail and Meeks Family Members.

She attended McClatchy High School in Sacramento, graduating in 1949. She maintained countless close friendships from that period in her life to the very end.

Elisabeth went on to Stanford University, where she lived in Jordan, with many good friends from Sacramento and beyond. It was here that she first started painting portraits. She got her bachelor’s in 1953, and her master’s in 1954.

After receiving her master’s, she moved to London to teach elementary school at the American School for two years – thoroughly enjoying life in the English capital in the 50s,

living in a so-called bedsitter flat, making London a home away from home. She would remain an anglophile for the rest of her life.

So perhaps it was no accident, when a young Londoner appeared in San Francisco, while hitchhiking his way around North America in his Argyle & Southern Highlander’s regimental kilt, that it was love at first sight. That was 1958. They would be married in 1959 in Sacramento.

Elisabeth taught elementary school in Berkeley while Ian attended law school at Boalt.

Once Ian got his law degree, they moved to Santa Cruz and opened their own practice. Elisabeth worked full-time as Ian’s assistant, until their first child was born. They lived in the “flats” of Rio del Mar, in Aptos.

While their three children were young, they lived on Elva Drive on Seacliff, before relocating to Montclair Drive in Rolling Woods, between Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley. Elisabeth had a studio there, and continued to paint prolifically, while studying under Keith Ward.

Elisabeth co-wrote books with Ian about his law-practice specialty, estate planning.

Elisabeth was a passionate fan of classical music, and she and Ian were devoted annual attendees of the Carmel Bach Festival. They so loved the cultural scene in the village of Carmel, they spontaneously decided to move there in 1986.

Once again, Elisabeth set up a painting studio at the house on San Juan Road. She continued to take painting classes and joined a painting group with friends on the Monterey Peninsula. She participated in an investment club and a book club with good friends. She and Ian belonged to the Beach Club in Pebble Beach, where their young grandchildren spent summers swimming and attending tennis and sailing camps.

Elisabeth is pre-deceased by her parents, Oscar Frederick and Irene Bern Johnson, and her older sister, Mary Alice Basye.

She is survived by:

Her beloved husband, Ian, of nearly 66 years.

Her younger sister, Christine Farquhar, of Stanford, CA.

Her daughter, Mary Meeks (Paul) of Charleston, SC.

Her son, Andrew McPhail, of Berlin, Germany.

Her son, Alex McPhail, of Carmel, CA

Her grandson, Andrew (“Drew”) Meeks, of Bellingham, WA.

Her grandson, Daniel McPhail, of Nuremburg, Germany.

Her granddaughter, Caroline Meeks, of Charleston, SC.

Her grandson, Nickolas McPhail, of Karlsruhe, Germany.

Her cousin, Keith Anderson (Bob), of Medford, Oregon.

As well as numerous nieces and nephews.

 

A celebration of Elisabeth’s life will be held at a later date.In lieu of sending flowers, please consider donating to COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SANTA CRUZ COUNTY (www.cfscc.org), 7807 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA 95003.