Mary Higbee — wife, mother, grandmother, friend, nurse, equestrian, quilter, knitter, aerobatic judge.

Born in 1937 in Monterey, Calif.; died July 2019 Coupeville, Wash.

She grew up in Pasadena, Calif., where she met and married husband Bob. They spent the first two years of their marriage in Charleston, S.C., courtesy of the U.S. Navy, and returned to Southern California, where her three children, Jeff, Erin and Barbara, were born.

Career took the family to Monterrey, Mexico, for two years, where she met wonderful Mexican friends, became an enthusiastic equestrian and fell in love with Mexico.

After a brief return to Southern California, career again took the family to a new location, this time to Washington state, first Kirkland, then Issaquah — where the children graduated from high school — and then to Whidbey Island.

While in Issaquah, Mary returned to school, became a nurse and worked at Auburn General Hospital. She said she specialized in TLC. She loved her patients and talked about them as old friends.

Drawn in to the sport of aerobatics, and not one to be an observer, she embraced the sport and served as contest director several times. She was proud of her skill as an aerobatic judge and served as chief judge at a number of contests.

Throughout it all, she found time for quilting and knitting, and she left a legacy of beautiful creations through the years.

But the roles of wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother were her primary love. And she excelled at them.

During the last 15 years of her life, Mary encountered a number of serious health problems, any one of which could have broken her spirit. None did. She remained her positive, loving, enthusiastic self.

She is survived by husband Bob; children Jeff Higbee, Erin Kindall and Barbara Higbee-Price; nine grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren.

We miss her terribly.