Carol Ann McMullin

Our mother was born on September 17, 1938, the first child of Donald and Siri Ford in Los Angeles. She grew up attending Hollywood Presbyterian Church and was an active Girl Scout. Following World War II, she lived in the Baldwin Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. After graduating from Dorsey High School, Carol Ann continued her studies at Stanford University, where she graduated in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in international relations. As a young woman, Carol Ann was an avid Girl Scout and enjoyed many outdoor activities, especially hiking and skiing. During college summers she worked as a housekeeper at Lassen National Park and as a waitress in Denali National Park. She was fond of telling the story of lining her waitress uniform pockets with plastic bags so she could take ice cream home after work. After graduation she worked for the Social Security Administration.

After marrying our father, Ray D. McMullin II, January 25, 1963 in Los Angeles, the young couple settled in Santa Paula to start their family. Together they enjoyed outdoor adventures that included pack trips in the Sierras and skiing at the California Resorts. She especially enjoyed Yosemite for both summer and winter activities. In 1968, she traveled to Glacier Park Montana where she enjoyed hiking, canoeing and most of all spending time with family at the cabin in the park. She returned to Glacier every summer since, and twice in the winter for Christmas. In addition to family time in Montana, Carol Ann organized a one-week trip each summer to the Stanford Sierra Camp where many wonderful memories were made on the shores of Fallen Leaf Lake. The summer of 2025 was her last trip to her beloved Montana cabin on the shore of Lake McDonald.

She felt that Santa Paula was her hometown as all 3 of her children were born at the hospital on the hill. While living in Santa Paula she took real estate classes at Ventura College and worked for a time in real estate sales with Richards Realty. She was a founding member of the Avarice Unlimited Investment Club and always enjoyed investing and passing on stock tips to her grandchildren.

In 1981 the family moved north to Arcata California. While in Arcata she decided it was time to get over her fear of mathematics and attended Humboldt State University where she earned a graduate degree in accounting and became a CPA. After a few years in Arcata, the family returned to Ventura County where she worked as a CPA at the firm of Vance, Thrift and Biller.

She loved art, both as an admirer and artist. Her lifetime of hobbies included piano, painting, sculpture, and even building miniature houses and all the furnishings. She enjoyed quilting and gardening. For many years she drove to the LA County Arboretum to attend a botanical art class and was a proud member of the American Society of Botanical Artists.

In her later years she remained active in the community where she served as the treasurer for the Blanchard Community Library Endowment Board, Rotarian, investment club member, avocado grower, mahjong enthusiast, mother of three and grandmother of six.

She is survived by her children, Donald McMullin (wife Julie) of Alexandria Virginia, Eric McMullin (wife Candace) of Alhambra California and Mary Alice Byers (husband Bryan) of Sierra Madre. Grandchildren, Willard McMullin, Madeline Davis, Laura Kate Byers, Natalie McMullin, Andrew Byers and Caden McMullin.

A celebration of her life will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in Santa Paula, Friday January 9 at 1:00pm. The family invites all who knew her to attend and share their favorite memories.