Mary Sagan
Mary Myrilliam Sagan passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 25, 2018, after a long battle with Parkinson’s and complications from the disease.
Mary was born October 3, 1924, in Lilbourn, Missouri to Henry and LaVicie Wynn Patterson. She was one of seven children: Woodrow Patterson; Lois Wolf; Ruth Miller; Louise Parkhurst; Henrietta Simmons and Gene Delano Patterson; and was the remaining survivor of her siblings.
After graduating from high school, she moved to San Diego to attend San Diego State University and worked while attending college at Western Union Telegraph. Prior to her 20th birthday, she left college and enlisted in The Women’s Army Corps where she was sent by train to Des Moines, Iowa for six weeks of basic training.
She received her orders for her first and only assignment. She traveled, again, alone by train, to a remote spot in Lamy, New Mexico. She was assigned to The Corps of Engineers Manhattan Project, Los Alamos, New Mexico and worked as a cryptographer. After the end of WWII, she finished her Tour of Duty and received an Honorable Discharge in August, 1946. Mary was very proud of her service and kept in her possession many declarations and citations documenting her service to her country.
She moved to San Francisco, and met Bernard Rudolph Sagan. They were married in 1947. In 1950, they bought property at Post and Larkin Street and established the Sagan Laundry and Dry Cleaning business specializing in guest laundry and valet for all the major hotels in San Francisco. Later Mary would purchase Golden Gateway Cleaners. Mary continued to own and operate the laundry after their divorce. After many years of building a successful commercial business, she sold the business in 1987.
Mary and C. George (“Matt”) Mattusch were married in 1964, and Matt preceded her in death in 1996. Mary loved to travel by land, air and sea and traveled to every continent visiting over 100 countries. She was an early visitor to
China in the late 70’s with a U.S. business delegation. Besides her travels, Mary enjoyed doing needlepoint, playing croquet, and was a champion Dominoes player. She also contributed her time generously to many civic and charitable causes and hosted many of these events at her much-loved home on Marina Boulevard.
Mary was a member of the auxiliaries of St. Mary’s, Presbyterian, St. Francis, and Children’s Hospitals, Jewish Home for the Aged and Little Sisters of the Poor. She was also a member of the St. Francis Yacht Club, World Trade Club and Bankers Club. She served as director of the San Francisco Dry Cleaning Board and on various committees including the International Dry Cleaners, San Francisco Tourist and Convention Bureau, U.S. Japan Institute at San Francisco State University, Museo Italo Americano, and Boys Town of Italy.
Mary lived a very full life, and she will be greatly missed. Mary is survived by her sister-in-law, Wanda Patterson, and her many nieces, nephews, numerous great and great-great nieces, nephews and stepchildren.
The family is grateful for the support that Mary received from family and friends. We would also like to express our sincere appreciation for the dedicated and compassionate care that Mary received from The Rhoda Goldman Plaza, Terrace floor staff, especially Gustavo, Emma, Samantha, April, Ofelia and Martha from Pathways Hospice.
Family and friends are invited to a visitation on Tuesday, March 6th from 6pm – 8pm with a funeral service on Wednesday, March 7th at 10am, both at Halsted N. Gray – Carew & English, 1123 Sutter Street, San Francisco followed by interment at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, CA.
In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Mary’s memory to: Marines’ Memorial Foundation, 609 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94102; Little Sisters of the Poor, for St. Anne’s Home for the Aged, 300 Lake Street, San Francisco, CA 94118, or a charity of your choice.
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