Mary Dale Fairbanks

Dale was born an only child in Omaha, Nebraska on February 8, 1922, to Alexander and Martha Loomis. In 1935 they moved to LA where she went to Beverly Hills High School, with Betty White. After she graduated high school, she went to Mills College in Oakland, CA where she earned her Bachelors of Art.

Graduating during the height of WWII, bored and not wanting to live with her parents anymore, she joined the US Navy. Her job in the Navy was to test rockets, but after a bad reaction to the chemicals, she transferred to the decoding program. While stationed in DC, she met her future husband David Hanna Fairbanks at the Pentagon. Due to them both working in the government, they, in bad taste, got married in a small chapel at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in DC on December 7, 1945, only 4 years after the bombing of Pearl Harbor as it was the only day they could get off work. She was married in her Navy uniform, and always regretted never getting married in a white wedding dress as the fashionista she always was.

After WWII, Dale and David moved to China Lake, CA where David continued to work in a US Civil Service job for the US Missile program. Dale transitioned to wife, mother, and home maker giving birth to 2 beautiful boys David and William. They then transferred to White Sands, NM, in 1956. While there, Dale became ill with the flu, went to the doctor, and found that she was actually pregnant with a daughter, Martha. Dale had enjoyed smoking, including a pipe, but smoking during her pregnancy made her very ill. Not knowing what to do with her hands no longer smoking, Dale picked up knitting. Dale loved to knit, she made many beautiful pieces, and knitted all the way into her last year of life.

They had a brief stint in the South Pacific before they settled in Las Cruces, NM. Sadly, a couple years after moving to Las Cruces, William passed away suddenly at the age of 14, which had a significant impact on their family. Dale found purpose in being involved in her church, community, art, and subbing at the local schools.

In 1969, she made the decision to go back to college at NMSU with her oldest son David. They both graduated in 1972, Dale with her master’s in art and David with his bachelor’s in engineering. The same year, Dale’s husband retired, which launched them into Dale and David’s world travel era.

Dale and David spent retirement going on many European vacations, cruises, and road trips. Except during a couple short periods, they always lived near their daughter Martha and her family. In 1978, they moved to Santa Fe, NM where Dale embraces all the arts and culture, and loved to ski until she was 75 years old. Martha and family moved to Santa Fe shortly after, and lived near Dale and David until 1995, when Martha and family moved to Chandler, AZ. Dale and David followed and moved to Chandler in 1998. Dale became an active member in St. Matthew’s Church.

After David passed in 2003, Dale continued to travel and stay connected to her church community at St. Matthew’s. Dale loved the Latin community and took multiple trips to Mexico and Guatemala.

Throughout her life, Dale loved to go on adventures and travel. She loved art: painting, knitting, and weaving. She also had a passion for giving and made many contributions through volunteering and donations to many organizations. But the most important part of her life was family. In the end, Dale lived for so long because she didn’t want to leave her family. She loved fiercely, and gained many bonus children, and bonus grandchildren who have been touched by how remarkable she was.

She is survived by her daughter Martha Miner, her son-in-law Tom, and their children: Matthew Miner (married to Christina, with two children, Hudson and Sawyer), Carolyn Parker (married to Elliot, with one child, Hanna), and Carla Miner-Luginbyhl (married to Kyle, with four children, Jace, Dylan, Tommy and Aurelia). She is also survived by her son David Fairbanks’ wife Lynne (her three children and 4 grandchildren); David’s children Elizabeth Fairbanks (with 2 children, Catherine and Madelyn), and Alex Fairbanks (Married to Fia, with 2 children, Ivy and Zoie).

On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, Dale passed away in her home surrounded by her family. She is joining her parents Alexander and Martha Loomis, her husband David Fairbanks, her sons David Fairbanks and daughter-in-law Cathy, and William Fairbanks in heaven.

Services will be held at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church on Saturday, November 22, 2025 at 9:00 am. In lieu of flowers, Dale has requested donations to St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Chandler, AZ, or Doctors Without Borders