Mary A Sabelis

Mary was born on September 6, 1920 in Jefferson City, Missouri. Mary’s father Charles Joyce and mother Myrtle Joyce lived in Jefferson City later moving to Kansas City, Missouri where Mary and her twin sister Elizabeth known as Liz or Betty grew up. Mary and Liz were identical twins that were difficult to distinguish in their early years. Mary and Liz were very close growing up and never lost the special bond that twins have. Being identical twins made life interesting at their Catholic school. Mary and Liz loved driving the nuns crazy with tricks like changing classes and answering for each other. The school finally separated them into different classes to cut down on their mischievous behavior.Mary met Theodore Sabelis while he was in training for flight school in Leavenworth. Ted’s favorite story was the night he met Mary she had no money so he had to pay her and her friends taxi fare home. He always said this should have alerted him to her spending. Mary and Liz played tricks on Ted too. When Ted came to pick Mary up for the officer’s ball he was greeted by a girl in casual clothes not ready for a formal dance. Ted was surprised to see Mary coming down the stair case in a beautiful gown. Ted and Mary were married on April 26th 1943. After completing Ted’s military service they moved to the Orting area.Ted’s career in the bulb industry grew quickly. He soon became the manager of the Puget Sound Bulb Exchange and along with manager his sales career also took off. Ted traveled ninety percent of the year and Mary stayed home raising two young daughters Karen and Joyce.Mary’s life was very busy. Ted and Mary purchased their first home on Wood Avenue in Sumner Washington where both Karen and Joyce started school. When Ted’s father passed away he brought his sister, Hermina and his mother to the states to live. Due to the increase in the family size and the horses he had acquired, Ted bought two houses on three acres on Alder Avenue. One house was for his family and the other for his sister and mother. Karen and Joyce had the privilege of growing up next to their Aunt Mien and Oma. They felt very lucky to always have someone to play cards with and make cookies for them. Karen and Joyce both rode horses and Mary became very involved in 4H and the Pegasus Riding Club. Mary was a spunky woman, actually a woman before her time. She was one of the few women in that era to hold down a job and yet made the time to manage all the 4H projects along with the riding club, daffodil parade and all the other activities. Mary’s weekends often involved sleep overs for all the 4H and riding club members.In 1962 Mary and Ted moved to their farm in Buckley where they lived out the remainder of their lives. Starting in 1968 Ted worked his last years for Fred Gloeckner in New York. Mary stayed at home on the farm with her beloved Pooch, Madam Butterfly and all her horses and began her journey on developing a beautiful horse farm.

After retiring from working at Rainer School as a secretary for the research department she went to work for Ted in his office for Pacific Bulb Company Inc. Along with helping Ted in the office she worked with her horses on the farm starting her breeding of race horses and later hunter and jumpers. Those of you that knew Mary were aware of how proud she was of the horses she raised. Some of which were winners at Longacres and others won top national honors with her granddaughter Nancy in equestrian events throughout the nation.Mary and Ted were very proud of their two daughters Karen and Joyce who became school teachers. Joyce later became a prominent sales rep for McGraw Hill. They were also very proud of the success of their grandchildren, Nancy Green, Josh Nace and Jerod Nace. They felt fortunate to see them graduate from college, marry, and have successful careers and great families. Family meant a lot to Ted and Mary. Mary is survived by two daughters Karen Green and Joyce Nace, three grandchildren, Nancy Green, Josh Nace, and Jerod Nace, their four great grandchildren Ben Nace, Isabella Nace, Dalton Free, Lauren Free and one baby that is on its way ______ Nace a February arrival. In Mary’s last years of life she was very restricted because of her back pain. She often told the orthopedics and pain specialists that it was from all the fun she had in her younger years. She was very appreciative of all her friends that stopped by to visit. She also really looked forward to playing pinnacle with her friends.

Mary was thought of by many people as a strong woman with a lot of presence. She was spunky, kind and thoughtful. She loved visiting and would always give you her opinion. One of the first questions when you walked in the house was, “ What’s new?” Mary and Ted left a legacy that will not be forgotten. Mary will be missed but not forgotten. Donations may be made to Franciscan Foundation, P.O. Box 1502, Tacoma WA. 98401 – 9836