Letters to AHSAA

From Tracey A. Stoll 1974 AHS Alumna
February 13, 2007 More Letters

Dear AHS Alumni Association,

I am writing to report the death of AHS graduate Mary Carty, on Tuesday, Feb. 6th, 2007, in Pomona, CA. I believe she graduated from AHS in 1931.

Thank you,

Tracey Stoll '74

Mary E. (Burton) Carty
April 1, 1913 - February 6, 2007

I just want to share something about Mary, because she was a remarkable person. I only knew her during the last of her nine-plus decades. Mary was a delight; she always had a smile for everyone, no matter who she saw. I called her "Merry Sunshine" because of her sunny disposition. I met Mary when I came to work at the retirement community where she had already lived for many years. After discovering that she was also an Ames High grad, we would joke that we went to the same high school; just not at the same time. (In fact, there were at least 40 years between our graduating classes.) She was very proud of our motto and would recite it to others nearby by saying, "Guess what our Ames High motto is? Ames Hi Aims High!" Mary may not have remembered my name, but she clearly remembered her alma mater! She told me years ago that she grew up on Duff Avenue in a house across the street from Bandshell Park. As an adult, she was a peace activist and a Quaker, living with her husband and family for many years in Whittier, California. Mary lived the last decade of her life in the assisted living center at the retirement community. She picked fresh flowers and kept them on display every day. She was a wonderful role model for all of us who knew her in recent years.

Web editors note: Our records show that Mary E. (Burton) Carty graduated from AHS in 1931. Thank you, Tracey, for letting us know about Mary.

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