A Memorial Mass will be held at 7:30 P.M., on Friday, June 24, 2016, at the New Bethany Chapel, 1441 Berkeley Drive, Los Banos. On Saturday, June 25, 2016, an Open House between 11:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. will take place at Avalon Clubhouse, 2939 Las Flores Circle, Los Banos. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mary’s memory to Franciscan Hospitaller Sisters of the Immaculate Conception at New Bethany.
Mary, 95, of Los Banos, died peacefully in her sleep Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at New Bethany.
Mary was born on November 9, 1920 in Mountain View, CA, the eldest child of seven and daughter of Portuguese immigrants Antonio and Maria Amaral.
She grew up in rural Mountain View where she attended local schools. At age 11, Mary obtained her first driving license to drive the cattle truck for her father and assisted in the running of the dairy and beef cattle businesses.
On June 22, 1941, Mary married dairyman Victor Rodgers Coelho in Mountain View. Together they established a dairy in San Jose.
In 1950, they moved to Gilroy and laid the groundwork for an award winning dairy herd and established Marvicern Home Dairy and Creamery. During the 1950’s besides her involvement in the dairy and creamery Mary used her driving skills as a bus driver for the Gilroy School District and where her people and language skills were put to good use as a part-time waitress at The El Rancho Mexican Restaurant and her love for all things Mexican began.
In the 1960’s, Mary completed her high school education and embarked on a new career. Mary was an honoured employee of the Gilroy J.C. Penney store for 20 years until her retirement in 1985.
Mary loved to help people and her unconditional love and caring will live on in the many lives she touched. Mary was forever cooking, baking or acting as a chauffeur for others when she wasn’t venturing off to the casinos with her friends or visiting her daughters in the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Scotland or globe trotting discovering new countries and making world-wide friendships.
In 1987, Mary and Victor moved from Gilroy to Los Banos to be closer to their grandchildren and return to ranching and rural life. In 2004, they moved into town at Avalon Gated Community entering into a new phase of life shortly before her husband’s death. Mary enjoyed meeting up with the residents, socialising and playing cards in the Clubhouse.
In 2014, Mary moved into the residential wing of New Bethany where her provocative smile and cheerful attitude won over staff and residents alike in the last few years of her life.
Mary was a member of “Women In Touch” and a Gilroy social club, The Sophisticats. Mary volunteered for many years at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. Her smile, friendship and hospitality was legendary and Mary will be remembered by legions of people.
Mary is survived by her children, daughters; Patricia Coelho of Newport-on Tay, Scotland and Victoria Moss of Philo, California and her son, Robert Coelho of Los Banos; her grandchildren, Matthew Coelho of Modesto and Rhett Coelho of Dos Palos; her sisters, Vera Roe of Saratoga, Elaine Hardisty of Santa Clara and Elizabeth (Betty) Strain of Mountain View.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Victor Rodgers Coelho; her parents, Antonio and Mary Amaral; her brothers, Tony Amaral, Jr and Henry Amaral; her sister, Delores Brum; many aunts, uncles, cousins and many good friends.
