Mary Louise Pingrey, (Mom) was born March 6, 1931 to Laura and Chester Sloan in North Apollo, PA. She was the baby sister to Maxine, Betty and Barbara. They had a loving family where Chester doted on Laura and his girls! Early on, Chester loaded up the family, along with Great Grandma and Grandpa Campbell and made their way to the Northwest, specifically Seattle, for a visit and to see if this is where they wanted to move to. Mom never could explain how they all made it cross country, all piled in their old car. She remembered staying with Aunt Frida and enjoying family. After a short 6 months stay in Seattle, they decided it wasn’t the right time and they were back in the car and on their way back to Apollo. Mom finished Elementary School in North Apollo, but at the age of 12, Chester decided to pack up his family, again, and move out west to Bothell to work during the War. There were far more opportunities for work out West.
Another long trip, including Grandma Campbell, but this time Aunt Maxine decided to stay back East and work as a Nurse.
Mom spent the rest of her Jr. High and High School years in Bothell, meeting new friends and spending lots of time with family. After graduating from Bothell High School, she decided to travel cross country back East to visit family with her cousin, Eileen, (at least twice). After returning to the West Coast, Mom got hired by the Telephone Company and at the age of 20, met a character in the making, Fred Pingrey (our Dad). Dad was smitten and within six months they were married, living the good life in Seattle on Queen Anne Hill, with Mom working and Dad going to the UW.
Dad decided to enlist before getting drafted, so he could become an MP starting his first step towards becoming a Police Officer. Mom, as usual, supported him 100% and he was sent off to Vienna for two years. Thus, began Mom's next big adventure. Off to Vienna on a ship (Mom hated the water) where she spoke no German and essentially was shy. As Mom did throughout her life, she rose to the occasion, made friends, loved being with Dad and innocently became part of great stories, like avoiding being kidnapped by the Russians. It's true!
After two great adventuress years in Vienna, Mom was back on a ship and eventually back in Seattle where she made a new loving home for her and Dad. Mom still worked at the Telephone Company and Dad started his new career as a Deputy Sheriff, for the King County Sheriff’s Office.
Mom had an amazing reputation for cooking and entertaining anyone that Dad would bring home, usually unannounced! She could cook for an Army at the drop of a hat and often did just that! Our Dad would sometimes give her warning and call at the last minute saying, "I am bringing a few people home for dinner". It didn't matter if it was a Senator, the Sheriff, ALL the Sheriff's, famous country singers, famous soccer players or the numerous soccer teams Dad coached, Mom would just pull out more plates, add some more things to dinner and serve a great, simple meal, but more important, making everyone feel welcome, like it was their home too!
Dad decided he wanted to be a Farmer or a Cowboy, (not sure which) and Mom once again packed up and made a new home in the wilds of Redmond, WA from Seattle. Mom didn’t much care for animals, especially FARM animals, but as usual, she supported Dad in whatever he wanted and off they were on a new adventure starting a life in the wilds of Redmond on a farm! Once again, Mom was making new friends, feeding cows and horses, and chasing chickens out of the garden. What a woman, what a Mom.
After a while, Dad decided Redmond wasn’t exactly what he had in mind, so they picked up and moved even farther out to the Sammamish Plateau, on a bigger farm, more cows, more horses, cats, dogs, you name it!
Soon, Mom and Dad were blessed with me, Dan and thirteen months later with Teresa. Mom settled in on the Plateau and made life perfect for all of us. She continued to make everyone who came to our home, feel at home!
Many new adventures continued in Mom's life, raising two raga muffins, making sure we made all the sports practices, decorating our bikes for down home country parades, giving huge parties and always making us feel very special and loved. Mom was Mom to all our friends and all the soccer teams. Her focus was never about a new dress or the next trip. Mom’s sole purpose in life was Dad, and her 2 children. Dad continued to test her, for instance, riding Mike (the horse) through the kitchen with Mom swinging a broom as he went. Dad laughing the whole way. But that’s what our life was like, lots of love and laughter.
We spent summer weekends at our Cabin, fishing and family time. Fall weekends on soccer fields and winter weekends cozied up at our farmhouse always, with the smell of something homemade and great...always compliments of Mom.
Sadly, our Dad left us way too early. That is when Mom really showed everyone how strong she really was, how much she loved her kids and how important family really was!
As sad as she was, Mom didn't let it stop her from supporting us in all our endeavors. We learned how important it was to stay connected with family and to know our family stories and history.
Mom never changed and never wavered in showing her love toward everyone she came in contact with. From extravagant Christmas parties, summer Bar-B-Q’s, to simple silly cards taped with dozens of pennies or chocolates celebrating our birthdays and Easter Egg Hunts ...Mom made each and every one of them special, fun and full of memories!!!
Mom’s other role that she took VERY seriously was Grandma. She loved her 4 grandkids more than anything. Along with making our life loving and complete, growing up, her new role, later in life, was to make sure her Grandkids, Carson, Courtney, Brooke and Cole felt the same way. From taking them camping or to the Ocean when they were young, to having all the birthday parties at her house and spending several times a week with all of them, she did everything she could to make them all feel equally loved and important.
Shy, stubborn, courageous, strong and adventurer...loving Wife, Daughter, Sister and Aunt… but most important above all else and the most PERFECT description of all, was MOM and GRANDMA!!
WE ALL LOVE YOU, MISS YOU AND THANK YOU FOR SHOWING US HOW TO LIVE LIFE TO ITS FULLEST.
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