Obituary for Mary Avalos
Mary Jean Avalos (Archuleta, Statham)
Mary Jean Archuleta Statham Avalos, age 57, passed away on February 26, 2021 after a battle with pancreatic cancer and after having been a four-year breast cancer survivor.
Mary Jean was born March 6, 1963 to Anthony and Joan Archuleta in Las Vegas, New Mexico although she grew up and lived in San Diego California her entire life. She attended Wilson Junior High School and Herbert Hoover High School Class of 1981 where she was a Varsity Cheerleader. While in high school she worked at the famous Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor in Mission Valley. After high school Mary enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserves and became a Hospital Corpsman. She was called to Active Duty during Operation Desert Storm and served at Balboa Navel Hospital. As her sister Margaret remarked, “I couldn’t believe our sweet Mary, barely five feet tall, could order around soldiers the way she did.” She took her job seriously. Her career path included working for Sharp Healthcare, Homecomings Financial, Cal-Western Reconveyance Corporation, and Magellan Healthcare. Her most favorite jobs though were the second jobs she held in addition to her other full-time responsibilities and included Pampered Chef, Target, and Brighton Collectibles. Oh, Brighton…she loved their jewelry! As a friend remarked, “She was always dripping in Brighton bling.” Mary was indeed the stylish one. Her most rewarding ‘second-job’ however was as a volunteer for Trauma Intervention Programs (TIP) of San Diego County. Her family was amazed at Mary’s strength to be able to be called at any hour of the day or night to go out and comfort someone who had just lost a love one and provide them, with compassion, the information they needed to navigate the time ahead. She was their angel.
Mary Jean married David Statham in 1991 and had two wonderful sons who were the joys of her life. Though her marriage to David ended they always remained good friends. After several years Mary was able to reconnect with a high school friend, Matthew Avalos, and they were married in 2018. As Matt recounts, “We were only married two years, but I’ve loved her a lifetime.”
Mary Jean passed surrounded by her loved ones, including her sons Jacob and Joshua. She was loved by many and in her last days had received numerous video messages from friends and family. She was a loving and kind person and a dear friend to many. She was greatly loved and will be missed.
She is survived by her husband Matt, her sons Jacob Statham and Joshua Statham, her siblings Margaret Padilla, Marie Hickey (Michael), Susan Smothers, Mark Archuleta (Michele), Julie Poirier, Jaime Archuleta and numerous nephews and nieces. Services will be held at 11:00am Saturday, March 20, 2021 at the Church of St. Luke in El Cajon California. Burial will be at Miramar National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers Mary Jean had requested that donations be made to Trauma Intervention Programs (TIP) of San Diego, a non-profit organization (www.tipsandiego.org). Friends may connect through Facebook on the Mary Jean Statham Avalos Tribute Page.
Mary Jean Archuleta Statham Avalos, age 57, passed away on February 26, 2021 after a battle with pancreatic cancer and after having been a four-year breast cancer survivor.
Mary Jean was born March 6, 1963 to Anthony and Joan Archuleta in Las Vegas, New Mexico although she grew up and lived in San Diego California her entire life. She attended Wilson Junior High School and Herbert Hoover High School Class of 1981 where she was a Varsity Cheerleader. While in high school she worked at the famous Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor in Mission Valley. After high school Mary enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserves and became a Hospital Corpsman. She was called to Active Duty during Operation Desert Storm and served at Balboa Navel Hospital. As her sister Margaret remarked, “I couldn’t believe our sweet Mary, barely five feet tall, could order around soldiers the way she did.” She took her job seriously. Her career path included working for Sharp Healthcare, Homecomings Financial, Cal-Western Reconveyance Corporation, and Magellan Healthcare. Her most favorite jobs though were the second jobs she held in addition to her other full-time responsibilities and included Pampered Chef, Target, and Brighton Collectibles. Oh, Brighton…she loved their jewelry! As a friend remarked, “She was always dripping in Brighton bling.” Mary was indeed the stylish one. Her most rewarding ‘second-job’ however was as a volunteer for Trauma Intervention Programs (TIP) of San Diego County. Her family was amazed at Mary’s strength to be able to be called at any hour of the day or night to go out and comfort someone who had just lost a love one and provide them, with compassion, the information they needed to navigate the time ahead. She was their angel.
Mary Jean married David Statham in 1991 and had two wonderful sons who were the joys of her life. Though her marriage to David ended they always remained good friends. After several years Mary was able to reconnect with a high school friend, Matthew Avalos, and they were married in 2018. As Matt recounts, “We were only married two years, but I’ve loved her a lifetime.”
Mary Jean passed surrounded by her loved ones, including her sons Jacob and Joshua. She was loved by many and in her last days had received numerous video messages from friends and family. She was a loving and kind person and a dear friend to many. She was greatly loved and will be missed.
She is survived by her husband Matt, her sons Jacob Statham and Joshua Statham, her siblings Margaret Padilla, Marie Hickey (Michael), Susan Smothers, Mark Archuleta (Michele), Julie Poirier, Jaime Archuleta and numerous nephews and nieces. Services will be held at 11:00am Saturday, March 20, 2021 at the Church of St. Luke in El Cajon California. Burial will be at Miramar National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers Mary Jean had requested that donations be made to Trauma Intervention Programs (TIP) of San Diego, a non-profit organization (www.tipsandiego.org). Friends may connect through Facebook on the Mary Jean Statham Avalos Tribute Page.