Mary Ella Calcara

Mary Dickinson Calcara

Encinitas, California

Mary Ella Dickinson Calcara passed away January 29, 2015 in Encinitas, California at the age of 94. She was born on September 8, 1920 in a small farmhouse in Panguitch, to Joseph Leland and Lula Elizabeth Baker Dickinson. They were poor, but didn’t know it because everyone in town was in the same situation. She was the 6 ^th of 10 children: Rena, Grace, Jay, Bob, Art, Mary, Dell, Betty, Leila and Jimmy. Betty Brown, of Panguitch, and Bob’s wife Amy of Henderson, NV, are the last survivors of that great generation.

Mary (or Molly as she was usually called, but she never liked that nickname!) attended school in Panguitch, and many of her friends were her cousins. After high school (1938) Mary went to work at Ruby’s Inn and in Salt Lake City until joining the US Marine Corp in 1943. Her assignment was to Camp Pendleton, California. Her 2 ^nd day there she met Carl Calcara, and they quickly fell in love and were married April 8, 1044 in Oceanside, CA. Mary and Carl were honorably discharged within the next year, and 5 children followed.

Mary and Carl settled in Oceanside and ultimately Carlsbad, CA in the middle of an old avocado orchard. She was a homemaker until most of her children were raised, then she joined her husband’s real estate business and worked for many years with Carl and some of their sons.

Mary was active in the LDS church and fulfilled many callings therein. She was an active volunteer as well, working many years at the local hospital, her ward’s family history center and as a worker in the San Diego LDS Temple. She had a love and respect for the elderly, and regularly visited several widows in nursing homes, bringing them a small bag of their favorite candy. Mary always put others’ needs before her own.

Family was her pride and joy. She was a wonderful mother and a fabulous grandmother. Everyone loved visiting her home or having Grandma and Grandpa come visit them. She made each person feel loved and feel as if he or she was the favorite, but she had no favorites: all were loved equally and abundantly. She loved taking walks, being at the ocean, and traveling on cruises and in their motor home, especially to see her family.

She is survived by her children: Charles Arthur "Chuck", Carla Rae (Dan) Paterson, Joseph Dickinson "Jody",, and Rick Anthony (Phoebe); daughter-in-law, Virginia; 12 grandchildren 28 great-grandchildren.

Preceded in death by parents; husband; son, Jeffrey Lynn; daughter-in-law, Sono; and a great-grandchild.

M emorial services will be held in Carlsbad CA on February 6. Funeral services will be held Monday, February 9, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at the Panguitch LDS Stake Center,550 South 100 West, where friends may call from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Panguitch Cemetery with military rites by the Panguitch American Legion Post #25. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com