Mary Virginia Muller, a longtime resident of Pacific Palisades, mother of five and a founding member of St. Matthew’s Church, passed away of natural causes in the company of her family on July 21, one day before her 92nd birthday. Mary was born in White River, South Dakota, on July 22, 1919, the daughter of Florence and Eric Brodboll. Her parents had homesteaded in the Rosebud Indian Territory and moved to the nearby town of Winner when she was five. Mary had happy memories of dancing with her childhood friends at the annual tribal celebrations in town. Here, she also had her first introduction to the Chautauqua movement, which brought music, lectures and other cultural events to Winner. When she was 12, Mary and her mother visited her aunt, who lived in Pacific Palisades and worked for the Palisades Chautauqua in the early 1920s. Mary’s family members were among the earliest residents in the Palisades. As the Great Depression raged, Mary’s father’s businesses in Winner failed and the family was forced to move to find work. While attending Norfolk High School in Norfolk, Nebraska, Mary met her future husband, Robert Wayne Muller, on a blind date. By the end of high school, they knew they would be together for many years. Mary and Wayne remained a devoted couple for the next 77 years, until Wayne passed away in March this year. When she was 17, Mary’s father bought a small general store, caf’ and gas station in the sparse and dusty town of Lugert, Oklahoma, which they struggled to keep going during the Depression, primarily by catering to Civilian Conservation Corps workers. There was a constant procession of families in need passing through the town. After her father died a few years later, Mary’s future looked bleak. Her plans for college were deterred by the family’s dire financial situation. With the generous help of her extended family, Mary moved to Pacific Palisades to live and work as a nanny for her aunt, Ruth Winston, a longtime kindergarten teacher at Canyon School. These events left a life-long impression and set the stage for a life filled with family and dedicated to helping people in need. On Easter morning in 1940, Mary and Wayne were married at St. Augustine-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Santa Monica. After Wayne completed his service in the Marine Corps, the couple moved to the Palisades, where they lived for all but one of their 70 years of marriage. In 1940, the Mullers were also founding members of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, which became a focal point in their lives. Mary was part of the congregation that spearheaded the purchase of the historic Garland estate on Bienveneda Avenue, where the church and school reside today. All five Muller children graduated from St. Matthew’s Parish Day School. In addition to being a full-time homemaker, Mary found time to serve on the church Altar Guild and a variety of church and school committees. She often volunteered as a group leader for Cub Scouts, Bluebirds, Campfire Girls and numerous other children’s organizations. Inspired by her memories of needy families and her faith, Mary also found time to help others. For over 48 years she volunteered her services to the nonprofit St. Matthew’s Thrift Shop, which helps fund a variety of community service organizations in Ocean Park, Venice and the Pico-Union areas. Mary served as the chair of the shop’s board of directors for many years, before retiring in 2005. Since opening in 1957, the shop has raised over $3 million to provide basic services to people in great need. Volunteers do almost all of the work. One of Mary’s favorite sayings when recruiting new workers was ‘The pay is lousy, but the rewards are eternal.’ Mary, an avid collector of antiques, joined Wayne in the unusual hobby of assembling the world’s largest collection of stocking darners. In her later years, she wrote and self-published two books: ‘My Life Story’ and ‘On a Mission from God: Memoirs of the St. Matthew’s Thrift Shop.’ Mary is survived by her five children, Stuart Muller of Pacific Palisades, Nancy Schiff of Chico, Robert Muller of San Luis Obispo, Jonathan Muller of Paradise, and Elizabeth Muller of Oakland; five grandchildren, Payson and Daniela (Stuart’s children), Randall (Nancy’s child), and Linsey and Jeffrey (Jon’s children) and a great-granddaughter, Astrid Caroline (Stuart’s granddaughter). A sixth grandchild, Katharine Maryanne, passed away in 1996. A Celebration of Life for Mary and Wayne Muller will be held at St. Matthew’s Church in October. The family requests donations be made in honor of Mary Muller to the Neighborhood Youth Association, 1016 Pleasant View Ave., Venice, CA 90291.
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