Marilyn Florence Mehr

A Legacy of Love

Marilyn F. Mehr (Webb) passed away peacefully at her home in Villa Park, California, on the morning of September 14, 2022. She was 90-years young and sincerely loved by many. A native of Santa Ana, California, Marilyn was the only child of Ernest D. and Edith J. Webb. At a very young age, Marilyn’s parents nicknamed her “Bun” and “Bunny” due to an ever-present pet rabbit that she carried with her everywhere. Her love of animals would continue throughout her life. Whether it be small shaggy dogs, cats, bunnies, parakeets, lizards, snakes, a goat, wild raccoon, rescued crow, Arabian horse, miniature horse, Cockatoo, or an African Gray Parrot, Marilyn was known for always having an open door, and an open heart, for countless pets over the years.

Having graduated from Santa Ana High School in 1949, Marilyn was active in various high school clubs, including the Honor Society, Natura Club, and Latin Language Club. She was also an enthusiastic tennis player and a gifted writer who would often pen whimsical poems or poignant short stories during her high school years. Marilyn attended Whittier College and worked for the Tree Sweet Juice Company in Santa Ana during her late teens. Her love of the ocean and adventurous spirit prompted Marilyn to take a legendary road trip to Florida with one of her best friends via busses in her early 20s. On the way back from Florida, her newly acquired pet parakeet, Tony, flew away at one of the bus stops. Tony was miraculously found due to Marilyn’s diligent searching, kind strangers, and numerous “Lost Parakeet” posters.

Marilyn later became a lifelong member of the Orange County chapter of the Beta Sigma Phi service sorority. For her local chapter, one of Marilyn’s responsibilities was ensuring that Orangewood Children’s Home had an abundance of pumpkins for many Halloweens. The Orange County chapter of Beta Sigma Phi met monthly for six decades while supporting worthy causes and enjoying each other’s company. In fact, Marilyn counted her sorority sisters among her closest friends for over 60 years.

In 1954, Marilyn became one of the first female bail agents in the state of California. Her father, Ernie, had ranked as the first bail agent in Orange County in 1927. It seemed only natural that she would follow in his footsteps, and that her bail license was active when she passed. After meeting Donald E. Mehr at a YWCA Dance in 1952, they soon fell in love. Working together, they founded Don’s Bail Bonds in 1954 in Santa Ana, California. They were married in 1956, raised four children, and remained very happily in love for over 66 years.

They spent much of their life in Santa Ana, California, and ventured on annual vacations to a host of destinations. During the early days of RVs, the Mehr family traveled throughout the Western-Pacific states and Mexico in their Islander motorhome. In the 1970s, the family became official “river rats” with the purchase of a ski boat and vacation mobile home along the banks of the Colorado River. The river days represented a special chapter in Marilyn’s life. Hot, sunny days were spent boating, waterskiing, and floating down the river. Balmy nights included desert dune buggy rides, chili cook-offs, volleyball matches, Boggle rounds, Mai Tai parties, and pinocle championships. Marilyn and Don later became world travelers to many beautiful and exotic destinations, including the Bahamas, Grand Caymen Islands, Fiji, Greece, Hawaii, and Egypt. They also embarked on numerous cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico, and even China throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

As their children grew, other home cities included Villa Park, Yorba Linda, and Dana Point. From their beach house perched on the bluffs of Camino Capistrano, Marilyn and Don watched dolphins, whales, sunrises, and sunsets with Catalina Island in the distance. Marilyn was known to refer to the moment the sun touched down on the aqua horizon line as the “blue flash.” There is an infamous story of Marilyn attempting to rescue her dog, Dolly, from the cliff side bluffs of their backyard. Don tied a rope around Marilyn’s waist while she traversed the hillside to save Dolly. Needless to say, Marilyn (and Don) almost went down the cliff. Fortunately, a friend of the family arrived on the scene to help Don hoist Marilyn (and Dolly) up to safety.

In recent years, Marilyn and Don returned to their home in Villa Park, where they cherished their time together. They shared “happy hour” on their patio near a sparkling swimming pool, cheered Marilyn’s favorite tennis player, Rafael Nadal, against his nemesis Djokovic (“Jerkavich” as Marilyn called him) during round-the-clock televised tennis matches. Marilyn would even get up at 3:00 a.m. to watch matches between the two rivals during the Australian Open and French Open. As late life Dodgers’ fans, Marilyn and Don also caught every live broadcasted Dodgers baseball game, without fail. Above all else, they enjoyed time with family – and with each other.

Marilyn will be greatly missed and remembered for her kind heart, beautiful spirit, quiet intelligence, surprising spunkiness, sense of humor, enduring love, and understated strength. She was blessed with an abundant, meaningful life as a devoted wife, wonderful mom, loving grandmother, and thoughtful great-grandmother. When she closed her eyes for the last time, she opened them in heaven -- while living forever in the hearts of those she loved. At the time of her passing, Marilyn was at home with her beloved husband of 66 years. She is survived by her husband Don Mehr, and her four children, Steve Mehr, Sue (Mehr) Mercier, Scott Mehr, and Sandy Mehr-Froehlich in addition to her five grandchildren, Shawn Mercier, Summer Mercier, Sophia Mehr, Savannah Mehr, and Sabrina Mehr, as well as two great-grandchildren who brought additional smiles and laughter to her heart. A celebration of her life and legacy of love will be held on her birthday, October 15, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Legacy Chapel at Fairhaven Memorial Park, 1702 Fairhaven Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92705.