Mary Carol Walberg Burdett

January 12, 1925 - October 23, 2022

Mary Carol Burdett, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and a passionate educator, died at age 97. She was born in Los Angeles and was raised in San Marino by her parents, Bill and Clara Walberg. As a child, she was given themed, elaborate birthday parties which she continued with her daughters. Her father taught her to swim, play badminton, and love many sports. She went to school in San Marino, graduating from South Pasadena High School.

She attended the University of Redlands majoring in education. She joined the Alpha Sigma Pi sorority and became a member of the SPURS women's honorary service society. Most importantly she met the love of her life Nelson Burdett. Nelson and Mary Carol were married in February 1945 just before he shipped out for the Pacific.

Mary Carol earned her degree and teaching credentials at the University of Redlands and quickly got a job as a teacher in Yucaipa. She stopped teaching to raise her three daughters. She adored the role of motherhood. She also volunteered as president of the Women's Fellowship, teacher at her daughters' Sunday school classes, director of the church's wedding reception program, and leader of her daughter's Camp Fire Girls group. A major influence in her life was the Camp Fire Girls organization where she deveolped her interest and deep love for the Native American way of life and their many symbols and traditions.

Mary Carol went back to teaching and then administration when their youngest was in junior high school. There she could focus her creativity and skills on helping others. When she retired, she volunteered in her grandchildren's classrooms, often writing plays or adapting songs for the classes to perform. The teachers adored her and welcomed her creative talents in their classrooms.

Music was always an important part of her life from listening to jazz, pop, and classical music, playing piano, teaching Camp Fire Girls to sing, singing in the church choir, and harmonizing in the car with the family.

Two lessons taught by Mary Carol include 'You could never be really beautiful on the outside unless you were beautiful on the inside. It's not what you say, but the way that you say it that matters.' Her love for and acceptance of people from all ethnic backgrounds and faiths came from her parents and their values.

Mary Carol and Nelson loved to travel starting with family trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, and throughout the historical US and Europe. All this travel culminated with the two of them traveling to 73 countries on many lovely trips while creating priceless memories.

Her loving husband, Nelson, predeceased her in 2021. She is survived by three daughters, Carol Lorraine of Florence, Oregon, Ann (Larry) Leonard of Redlands, and Bonnie (John) Walker of Atherton, California; three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Learning from the Navajo 'way of death' Mary Carol believed that one's spirit lives on in one's children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Her legacy of strength, unconditional love, and living with purpose along with her stories, her values, and inner beauty will continue to inspire her family and loved ones.

Los Altos Town Crier Report, January 22, 2023