MABRY, Helen Maxine

Bunker Family Funeral & Cremation Mesa, Arizona Helen Maxine Mabry December 21, 1924 ~ May 28, 2012 Never wanting to cause a fuss, Helen Maxine Mabry quietly slipped away in her 87th year on Memorial Day evening May 28th, 2012 surrounded by family in her home in Mesa, Arizona. She was born in Hemet, California to Max F. Dixon and Mary May Thompson on December 21, 1924. One week in September she met and married Al Mabry... Helen was 17 years old. In March she sent her new husband to the Navy. When he was discharged, Helen, Al and Mary, their new daughter, moved to Houston. In Texas, Garner III and Marsha were born. Throughout her life, Helen claimed Texas traditions. All of her 34 Grandkids were "darlin" and nobody left Grandma's house hungry. She could always "whip something up". She kept soda and popsicles in the fridge, just in case one of her 87 great-grandchildren stopped by. Her lemon meringue and chocolate pies were always gone first at the annual Christmas Eve gathering. At Grandma's house there were puzzles and toys low enough for her 11 great-great-grandchildren to reach and antiques just high enough to be out of reach. But when it came down to it, it was all "just stuff". In public Helen was reserved and often just outside of the spotlight that was pointed at Al. But, in private she wasn't shy about giving advice, and always added that it was probably "worth about what you paid for it." Any sentence that she began with "awe Al..." usually ended in something funny. Helen was pragmatist married to an entrepreneur. She made home cozy and kept the family tight over moves from Texas, to Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and finally to Arizona. Along the way, Mark, Ron, and Nancy were born. Six kids in all, each of whom remain to carry her legacy of independence and family. They all married and each of the new in-laws know her as "mom". For about 50 years, Helen received flowers from her daughters on each of their birthdays. Helen loved to sew. Hundreds of babies were blessed and Christened in little white dresses that bore a tag reading "made with love by Grandma". She patched pants, hemmed suits, and made beautiful quilts. While in Idaho, she had a doll shop and made all of the clothes. Many of her granddaughters have Bylo Babies from Grandma, the great-granddaughters have Raggedy Ann. Helen leaves behind over one-hundred direct descendants who never heard her preach, but always knew she loved the Lord. Goodbye Grandma. Funeral Services Saturday, June 2, 2012, 10:00a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Montecito Ward, 2835 E. Des Moines St, Mesa, AZ., with a viewing 1 hour prior. Bunker's University Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.