OBITUARIES
Mary Branz
91, Calexico
Marilouise Hurley
88, El Centro
MARY CARROLL BRANZ Aug.18, 1926 - Feb. 12, 2018
Mary Branz, 91, a long time Calexico resident who moved to Boulevard, CA in 1998 passed away in San Diego, on Monday February 12, 2018.
Mary was born on August 18, 1926, in San Diego, CA to Calexico Pioneers John G. and Doris Carroll. She attended schools in Calexico, graduating from Calexico High School in 1944. She attended Mount Saint Mary’s College, Los Angeles, graduating in 1948. After graduation she returned to Calexico and worked as a social worker with the County of Imperial. She married A.J. Branz, on January 5, 1952. They moved to Los Angeles and lived there briefly before returning to Calexico in 1955 where they lived continuously until 1997. After returning to Imperial Valley, Mary began volunteering as a physical education instructor at Our Lady of Guadalupe Academy, in Calexico. Later she was hired as the physical education instructor at Vincent Memorial Catholic High School. She worked as a physical education teacher and sports coach at VMCHS for 35 years before retiring in 1995.
Mary was proceeded in death by her parents, John G. and Doris Carroll; husband, A.J. Branz and son, Allen (Butch) Branz.
Mary is survived by her daughters and son-inlaws, Marianne and Robert Menvielle of El Centro and Kathleen and Juancarlos Cordero of El Cajon; granddaughter, Ashley Menvielle Gibson and her husband Ken Gibson of Socorro, NM granddaughter, Kathryn Cordero of El Cajon and grandson Jon Cordero of El Cajon. Brother, Father George A. Carroll, S.J., of Boulevard, cousin Donna Voegeli of Los Angeles and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
Services will be held on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at Our lady of Guadalupe Church in Calexico. Rosary will be at 8:30 a.m. followed by a funeral mass at 9 a.m. Interment will follow, at Mt. View Cemetery. A reception and celebration of life will be held at the VMCHS Gymnasium following the services. The family suggest memorials be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation or Vincent Memorial Catholic High School.
MARILOUISE HURLEY Oct. 27, 1929 - Feb. 14, 2018
Marilouise Hurley, longtime Imperial Valley resident was born October 27, 1929 in Riverside, CA. She passed away February 14, 2018 in El Centro.
Mari contributed much to the Imperial Valley in her 37 year career as a teacher at Central Union High School, then Wilson Jr. High. After her retirement she spent many years working with Imperial Valley Fair with the displays and judging of home-making entries. She was active in the Retired Teachers Association.
Mari earned her private pilot license in 1970 and went on to own a twin engine Piper Geronimo and logged over 3000 hours of flight time. She was a charter member of the Imperial So-Lo Chapter of the 99s. She was a charter member of the Baja Bush Pilots and the Dawn Patrol and has served as a director in the California Pilots Association. Mari earned the privilege of flying in a TA-4 Skyhawk with the Blue Angels, in 1980.
She loved flying to numerous places. One of her favorites was to fly in to Gonzaga Bay, Baja, to the house she co-owned with her mother and sister.
You couldn’t go anywhere with Mari without people approaching her to talk of the old times whether it was a student, a friend, someone she worked with, flew with or someone she knew since her days with Cliff in Riverside. Mari delighted in seeing friends, new and old.
Mari is survived by her sister, Avis (Kenny) Martin of Riverside and 2 nephews and 3 nieces. She was predeceased by her husband Cliff Hurley.
The Navion Club honored Mari with a Missing Man Formation flight at the Brawley Airport on February 24th. Ryan Douthitt led the flight.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 17, 2018 at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 312 South 8th Street, El Centro.