Mary Sabovich

Mary Mildred (Jerri) Sabovich died in Savannah GA. March 9 having reached 94 years of life on February 28. She joins her husband Dan, sons Danny and Mark that predeceased her and hopefully now has the company of their love. Jerri was born 1928 in Bellefonte, Arkansas to Woodrow and Clarkie Jewel Jarvis where the family farmed 160 acres they owned. Like so many of that time, the Great Depression was a disruptive force for change and by 1936 there were no jobs or money; so the dream of California was a beacon of hope for a better life and so her family went. They sold all their possessions but the farm. Everything sold went for pennies; the cow fetched a dollar. Driving to California with so little money, she said the family ate and slept beside the road each night, finally crossing through the Tehachapi Mountains and down into the valley to the town of Oildale. Jerri’s mom Clarke Jewel died Christmas Eve 1940 from cancer and Jerri said late in life that “there was no one to comfort me”.

Early life’s struggles was the furnace that steeled her resolve to make herself more than destiny had planned. At an early age she realized a talent for drawing. Starting Union High School at age 13, she wanted to fit in but was self conscious of her clothes and that the other kids came from good families that had money. She borrowed a neighbors 50 year old sewing machine and taught herself to sew. “if I couldn’t buy em, I could make em”. A friend, who expressed doubts about her acceptance, offered to introduce her for admittance to a girl’s club at the school. “I passed, I won them over and was allowed to join” she remembered. She had her first drink and cigarette at age 14. They were her circle of friends until graduation and leaving for art school in Los Angeles..

Working in a real estate office in Bakersfield, the owner introduced her to Dan Sabovich, who on a first date took her flying in his Piper Cub. Following a 2 year courtship, in 1949 they were married in Las Vegas. For the next 20 years Jerri was active in community service, supporting the local school, helping on the farm and raising their children. She enjoyed telling the story of selling melons on the side of highway 99 which bordered their property. About this time Dan turned his interest from farming, to operating the Mojave Airport when Kern County selected Dan to be the airport’s first general manager, which he served as for the next 32 years. For Jerri this afforded a life of friendships of many people who were signposts of history. She was an accomplished artist, made her own formal gowns, was a confident hostess and traveled the world. She was her own person. Towards life’s end, she moved from Bear Valley, Tehachapi which she loved, to Savannah GA to be close to family.

She leaves behind her daughter Debbi Gaston, son in-law-Randy Gaston, granddaughter Dacy Gaston Weiss, her husband Efrem, great grandson Asher; grandson Drew Gaston and wife Megan. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.