Mae Lenette Van Der Linden

Mae was born on May 22, 1922 in Warroad, Minnesota and raised in International Falls, Minnesota. She was the sixth of seven children born to Jonas L. Bergvall and Marie J. Carlson. She is preceded in death by her parents, son Terry Doherty II, husband Erwin Van Der Linden, her six siblings, Eldrid, Ardell, Janis, Otis, Eris and Rosalie, and son-in law Jim Allen. She is survived by her sons Tim Doherty and his wife Donna of Capistrano Beach and Kevin Doherty and his wife Jennifer of Coronado; her daughter Shannon Allen of Eugene, Oregon and her son Terry’s wife Nancy of Valley Center; seven grandchildren, Erin, Tamara, Jennifer, Shannon, Sean, Kimberly and Tim; seven great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her three stepsons, Wayne, Bobby and Doug Van Der Linden and their wives, children and grandchildren.

Mae moved to San Diego in 1942 and married her high school sweetheart, Terry Doherty, who joined the Marine Corps to serve during World War II. While Terry was overseas, Mae worked at Convair in San Diego. After the war, Mae and Terry settled in the sleepy little beach-town of Oceanside. They built their “dream home” on Hunsaker Street in 1953 where they raised their four children. Mae lived in the home for nearly sixty years.

Mae’s parents and two of her sisters, Eris and Janis and their families, also moved to Oceanside after the war. Known as the Bergvall clan, Mae and her sisters raised their children within a half-block of each other. Summers were spent at Buccaneer Beach and Mae was known to dread the start of the school year more than the kids. Mae also went to every baseball game her boys played in and could be heard cheering louder than all the other parents. She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and St. Mary’s Alter Society. Mae loved to entertain, and most of the family holiday dinners were held at her home.

Mae and Terry divorced in 1960 but continued to raise their children together. She went to work as a secretary at Van Der Linden Electric, a job she stayed at for over twenty years. She married Erwin Van Der Linden in 1975. After retiring, Mae and Erwin spent much of their time growing vegetables and fruit trees on their property. She also lovingly grew roses and sent bouquets home with everyone who visited (along with fresh corn, avocados, tomatoes, lemons, oranges and tangerines…). She loved to watch sunrises over Fire Mountain from her back deck, and sunsets over the ocean from her front yard.

Mae and Erwin, during their thirty years of marriage, had three big white dogs. Myth was a Samoyed, Skagway an American Eskimo and Pinkie was sort of a mix between the two. They were their “babies” and were spoiled with love and lots of treats. She also enjoyed feeding the menagerie of finches, blue jays and hummingbirds that flocked to her back yard.

Mae /always rooted for the underdog in life and in sports unless it was her beloved Padres or Chargers—then it was game on!

Mae had many names: just Mae to many, Dolly or Dolly Mae to some, Mom to her kids, Grandma Mae to her grandchildren, and Auntie Mae to her nieces, nephews and the neighbor kids. She loved to laugh, always looked for the silver lining, and she was truly grateful for all of God’s blessings.