Mary Louise Brubaker, age 93, passed away peacefully of natural causes on August 5 at Heart and Hand Assisted Living in El Centro. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, August 14, at 10 a.m. at Hems Brothers Mortuary in Calexico. The family will greet friends at 9:30 a.m. prior to the service. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery in Calexico.
Mary was born on June 18, 1922, in Abilene, Kansas. She graduated from Enterprise High School (Kansas) in 1940 and went on to nurses' training at Halstead Hospital School of Nursing in Halstead, Kansas, where she graduated in 1943. Mary worked as a Registered Nurse at the well-known Hertzler Clinic in Halstead until she married Howard J. Brubaker on February 20, 1946, at Hartford, Kansas. They moved to the Imperial Valley where Howard was a ranch foreman, and they had three children. Mary was a homemaker until she returned to the nursing profession in 1955 at the Calexico Hospital when Howard was injured in a farming accident. That same year the family moved into town from the country, and although Howard recovered, Mary continued to work at the hospital until her retirement in 1981 after 26 years of service.
Mary was a devoted member of the Calexico United Methodist Church, where she faithfully served as organist for many years until experiencing health problems in 2011. Mary was also a member of the Calexico United Methodist Women and the Women's Improvement Club in Calexico, and was on the board of directors of Neighborhood House in Calexico. She served as secretary for these groups for many years. Mary enjoyed vacations with Howard in their retirement, baking cookies, making fig jam every summer, and crocheting angel ornaments. When Howard passed away in 1997, she continued to live in their home until January 2015 when she moved to Heart and Hand Assisted Living.
Mary is survived by her daughters Barbara (Rev. Michael) Bahde of Panora Iowa, and Phyllis Brubaker of Calexico; her son Bill (Mary Ruth) Brubaker of Bakersfield; four grandsons: Jake (Cher) Brubaker of Bakersfield, Josh Brubaker of Bakersfield, Jason Brubaker of Texas, and Jared Brubaker of Bakersfield; one great-grandson, Jackson Brubaker of Bakersfield; her sister, Dorothy McCauley of St. Johnsbury, Vermont; and two nieces and a nephew. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and brother Bill Ewald of Colorado.
The family wishes to thank the caregivers who took such loving care of Mary. Memorials can be made to Neighborhood House in Calexico.

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Published by Imperial Valley Press Online from Aug. 11 to Aug. 13, 2015.

Memories and Condolences
for MARY BRUBAKER

5 Entries

Gregory Smith

August 13, 2015

Bill and Barbara,

You have my sincere condolences on the loss of your mother. As neighbors in the mid-sixties your mother was always very kind and thoughtful with everyone. In 1966 I was in the Calexico hospital with a fractured elbow resulting from a high school track meet your mom made sure I was comfortable and checked up on me until I was transported to San Diego Naval Hospital.

Although no words can really help to ease the loss you bear, just know that you are very close in every thought and prayer.

Greg Smith
Lodi, Ca.

Irene Sanchez-Pittman

August 12, 2015

To the family of Mrs Brubaker I also had the pleasure of working with her at Calexico Hospital she also taught me a lot that I still use today being in the medical field she was the type of RN I would have wanted at my bedside she was professional, caring and so so nice with everyone, she touched a lot of lives. Thank you Mrs Brubaker until we meet.

Rosie Villa

August 12, 2015

My Sincere Condolences to ALL of Mrs. Brubaker's Family. I had the pleasure of working with her at Calexico Hospital. She was a Great Nurse! I learned alot from her. Rest In Peace Mrs. Brubaker. God has gained another Angel In Heaven.

Barbara Peterson

August 12, 2015

Bill: So sorry to hear of your Mom's passing. She was such a wonderful and caring person. Calexico Hospital was fortunate to have her there.
Barbara (Thompson) Peterson
former Calexico Hospital employee

Marcella Barker

August 11, 2015

Barbara, my condolences for the passing of your mother. She lived a full blessed life indeed, and she is surely watching over her beautiful family now...from Heaven.

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