Celebrating Mary Naylor

Mary Margaret Naylor 1940 - 2009

Mary Margaret Naylor of McCall, Idaho passed away on December 26, 2009. 

Recipient of the 2006 Governor’s “Take Pride in Idaho” Award for Outstanding Achievement in Recreation and Tourism, Ms. Naylor’s passion for sharing recreation activities in Idaho dates back to the late 1960’s, not long after arriving in Idaho from her native California. Mary Naylor was also a lifelong conservationist and environmentalist.  Her dedication and connection to the natural world included comprehensive knowledge of Northwestern wildflowers and birds and extended to a love for all creatures, great and small. 

Mary Naylor’s work in Idaho’s recreation industry and wilderness areas began with teaching skiing at Bogus Basin in 1970. She continued in a variety of roles, managing bookings and guiding raft trips on the Payette River, driving the Boise Tour Train, managing a cross country ski area in the Sawtooth Mountains, fighting forest fires in the Trinity Mountains, working as a forest tech on the Boise National Forest at Lester Creek and serving on the marketing team for Bogus Basin Ski Resort. Ms. Naylor spent 17 years as marketing director at Brundage Mountain Resort, until her retirement in 2007. She was awarded a “Lifetime Pass” to ski on Brundage Mountain – one of just three such passes given in the history of the resort. 

Ms. Naylor contributed her energy to public service, serving on the board for the Southwestern Idaho Travel Association, as president of McCall’s Optimist Club, and as board member and president of the McCall Chamber of Commerce.  She helped organize the Opening Ceremonies for the Masters World Cup Cross Country Ski Race in 2008 and volunteered with the Special Olympics World Winter Games in early 2009.  She served on the Board of Directors of the Northern Intermountain Ski Instructors Association.  Mary Naylor was a Founding Mother of MCPAWS, McCall’s animal shelter.

Ms. Naylor was the encouraging and enthusiastic force behind many programs promoting skiing for women and school children at Bogus Basin and Brundage Mountain, and was one of the founders of the wildly successful and still ongoing “Prime Timers” ski program for skiers over 50 at Bogus Basin.  Mary was instantly recognizable on the slopes with her trademark great technique and brilliant smile; she took joy in sharing her enthusiasm for all the outdoors. 

“Females today have many options because of Mary.  She was part of the generation of women that left the traditional roles behind, and made it okay for you and me to consider other life options,” says her longtime friend and coworker at Bogus Basin, Jane DeChambeau.  “Mary always looked for, and found, the good in people,” says her dear friend of many years, Bee Clark.  “She never focused on the things that divided us; she always focused on the things that connected us.”  Mary’s friends appreciated her devotion to animals; she cared for many beloved pets over the years.  Her dog Dali and cat KC will continue to live with friends on Buckcamp Lane in McCall.

The daughter of Paul Tucker and Rose Amra Fisher, Mary Margaret was born in 1940, and grew up in California with her two brothers, Paul Reed and John Gordon Fisher.  Her eldest daughter, Kathryn Anne Redmond, lives with her husband Craig Redmond in Jakarta Indonesia, while her younger daughter, Elizabeth Meigs Naylor, lives in Seattle, Washington. Her former husband, Tom Naylor, also lives in Seattle. “Grammy Mary” delighted in her grandchildren, Dawson and Gabriel Redmond and Jane Kilcourse, traveling across the US and to Central Asia, Africa, and Indonesia to visit them. 

A deeply spiritual woman, Mary Naylor is known as a loving, joyous, inspiring person whose warm, bright smile and encouraging nature profoundly touched the lives of her friends and family. In 2005, Mary gladly and fearlessly donated a kidney to her daughter Kate, a wonderful act of devotion for which the entire family is forever thankful. 

A memorial service will be held this summer in McCall, Idaho.  In preparation, stories and photographs from her friends are welcome.  Please send them to: celebratingmarynaylor@gmail.com

 

Mary and Brother John

 

It's around 1952.  Apparently Mary has harassed younger brother, John.  He seems determined to get revenge.  Paul Reed Fisher

Family Brunch

It is 1945.  Three years have passed since we lived in Fresno.  We now live in Oakland, CA, having resided, briefly in Orinda, CA and in Menlo Park, CA for a couple of years.  While we lived in Menlo Park another member of the family, John, was added.  In this photo, the family (less John who had to stay home with a baby-sitter) has driven to Sacramento to have brunch in the El Rancho, a new up-scale motor hotel.

Paul Reed Fisher

Mary Margaret with her Father

It is April 1942.  Mary Margaret is 20 months old and World War II is four months old.  We are living in Fresno, CA. learning about blackout shades, rationing and other wartime things. Mary Margaret is with her Dad in our back yard. 

Paul Reed Fisher

Mary Margaret with Brother, Paul Reed

It is April, 1941 and Mary Margaret is nearly nine months old.  Her Dad has been transferred and the Fisher family has moved to Fresno, California. This photo was taken in Sequoia National Park with Mary Margaret with her brother in front of the General Sherman sequoia tree, one of the largest trees in the world.

Paul Reed Fisher

Mary Margaret and Grandmother

This is Mary Margaret, at an age of a few months, with her maternal grandmother, Norine Reed.  We were living in South Pasadena.

Paul Reed Fisher

"There’s no one like her"

Mary was a woman of civility, humor, and grace.  It was a gift to have known her.  I have two small stories to share. In one, we are in a MCPAWS meeting and I’m presenting something that is a contentious issue and another attendee begins to shout and interrupt me.  Mary intervened with a brief comment about civil discourse, given with a smile, and the interruptions ceased.  Thank you, Mary.

In another, several of us were lamenting the inability to make a left turn during the busy days of summer in McCall when Mary gently reminded us, “Don’t forget, we want visitors to come here.”   She was indeed a welcoming presence in McCall, warm and gracious, bringing people together.

Sunny is the word that comes to mind when I think of Mary.  I was warmed by her smiles and laughter.

There’s no one like her.  She is greatly missed.

--Joy Hamilton, friend

First Portrait

Mary Margaret joined the Fisher Family on July 28th, 1940, when we were living in South Pasadena, California.  As an eight year old boy, whose interest was in playing with friends and being allowed to staying up to listen to the Lone Ranger and things like that, I really don't remember what impact her arrival had on me.  In retrospect, that's probably a credit to our parents. 

--Paul Reed Fisher

April 2007

Mary and her oldest brother, Paul Reed Fisher

We were very touched and pleased that Mary traveled to New Hampshire to celebrate our 50th anniversary with us.  This photo is of Mary dancing with me at the anniversary party put on for us by daughters Ann and Lisa.

--Paul and MaryAnne Fisher

"I would give you my heart."

In July of 2008 Kate wrote a piece for a food blog event to raise awareness about organ donation. You can read her story here.

--Ann Fisher