We are hosting an informal memorial in honor of Mary to take place on her birthday, Friday, August 4^th, at her home in Santa Barbara. Please join us for a friendly gathering on the roof deck at Villa Santa Barbara, 227 E. Anapamu, any time from 6 to 8pm.

All are welcome; feel free to extend the invitation to others who knew Mary and might like to attend. Please let us know if you expect to attend, to help us plan refreshments. In addition, if you have photographs to share, please send them to Andrea Thompson at [log in to unmask] to include them in a scrapbook.

Note that Santa Barbara’s Fiesta Days will be holding events at the nearby Courthouse, so parking will be scarce. There are city parking lots accessible from Anacapa and Chapala streets, and multiple city bus lines have service to the Anacapa & Anapamu bus stop.

In response to questions about memorials, Andrea believes “Mary may have suggested that people can make donations to the Metropolitan Opera if they wish.” I do know that one of Mary’s regular vacations for many years was going to New York for the Opera with one of you map librarians out there.

What her family is more interested in is any particularly memorable anecdotes or fond memories you would like to share about Mary. I have agreed to compile these (and indeed, I have been saving all of your messages). If you get those to me by lunchtime Pacific time Thursday, I can have them printed and bound for her sister and niece.