Mary Leah Chavies

August 10, 1928 – August 14, 2020

MaryLeah, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother left the world to be with the Lord to play piano music in heaven. MaryLeah was born August 10, 1928 to Cora Blanch (McClure) Gilbert and Millard William Hiram Gilbert in Grand Junction, CO. She was a “cradle roll” member of the First United Methodist Church in Grand Junction and continued in good standing as an active parishioner. She graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1946 and attended one year at Mesa College. She met and married Charles Timothy Chavies, remained in the Grand Junction area and raised three children.

MaryLeah was active in the Grand Junction High School band and orchestra, the Mesa College Orchestra, and the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra. She loved performing and played bass fiddle for 46 years as well as piano for her lifetime. She was a talented piano player and teacher. She taught numerus piano students lessons at her home for 78 years. She shared her love of the performing arts with as many as she could. She will be remembered for her love of family, her dedication to playing piano and all her former piano students.

She is survived by her son - Bernie (Marsha) Chavies, daughter - Charleah (Roy) Firestone, grandsons – Michael (Jennifer), Chad (Theresa), Kellan and Seth Chavies, Joshua Firestone, and granddaughter - Holly (Eric) Fredrickson, two great-grandchildren Caleb and Anthony Chavies as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, Charles T. Chavies, son Charles Timothy Chavies Jr. (Miriam) and brothers Arthur and Reed Gilbert.

A lifetime resident of Grand Junction which she was immensely proud of, passed away at Larchwood Inns skilled nursing facility on August 14, 2020. The family would like to thank the Staff at the Fountains, Larchwood Inns and HopeWest Hospice Care Centere love and care that they gave to MaryLeah.

Viewing at Martin Mortuary August 26 & 27 from 4:00pm – 8:00pm. COVID-19 restrictions apply.

*Note: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a limited number of people, mostly family, will be allowed inside for the church service by INVITATION ONLY. Church services can be viewed online with a live stream at fumcgj.org/worship on August 28 at 10:00am. Graveside services will be held at Grand Junction Memorial Gardens Cemetery at 11:30am.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to First United Methodist Church or HopeWest Hospice Care Center.

MaryLeah Eulogy

MaryLeah had a plaque on her bedroom wall that may best describe the way she chose

to live life. It said “Never drive faster than your Guardian Angel can fly.” (Poor Guardian

Angel!) Known as a "speed-demon" to many, she liked to drive fast including on her

electric scooters. (Tell the story of Chad and Theresa's wedding, when she was trying to

get to the meeting for disembarking procedures, and how the hosts sat stunned (with

mouths gaping open) while in the middle of their live airing, MaryLeah ran her scooter

head-on into the lounge seat/couch. They asked her where she got her driver's license

because it should be revoked! There was once an incident where she was driving down

from the cabin on Grand Mesa, where she decided the drivers in the other cars were

going too slow. She sped around one car and would have had a head-on collision if all

the other drivers had not slammed on their brakes. The passenger was shaking like a

leaf, and farther down the road, MaryLeah looked over and asked, "I didn't scare you,

did I?"

She was a force to be reckoned with, especially when she had her mind set on

something. One example was when she broke her pinky finger, she refused a cast and

continued to play with only eight fingers because of the two that were taped together.

Over the years, while raising her family she taught piano lessons at Holy Family and St.

Joseph's Catholic Schools, as well as holding private lessons in her home.

Besides her family, two things she was vehemently proud of were being a well-known

State Certified music teacher and Grand Junction native!

When interviewed at age 71, she said, "at age 6, my mother told me I was going to play

the piano. I was such a pill about it, and I would tell my music students they don't have a

thing on me..., I know all the tricks in the book," because I wrote the book on how to get

out of practicing piano. My father traded painting and wallpapering to pay for my lessons.

I gave my first solo piano recital at age 12, memorizing ten songs. MaryLeah would go

on to give another solo recital two years later. She became active in the Grand Junction

High School band and orchestra, the Mesa College Orchestra, and the Civic Symphony.

In 1944 at age 15, her instructor for Mesa Junior College (Lawrence Sardonia) left to go

to war (Pearl Harbor). He said, "MaryLeah, you can teach all of the string bass

students." Not to be outdone, she said her piano teacher asked her to start giving

lessons as well. She charged 50 cents every half-hour for lessons. She went on to play

in the symphony for 43 years until forced to give it up if she wanted to continue playing

the piano.

As a piano teacher, she asked her students to practice 30 minutes/day, six days a week.

Her teaching style is "Tough Love," where she demanded that students "count out loud."

"I am like a broken record with them, but the more practice they do, the faster they learn." She didn't like to compete with athletics and other interests because students needed to remain well-balanced. (Except when it came to recital time!) Many former students were known to say, "you learned her music etiquette which included recital dress-code, punctuality, paying attention, and appreciating music. She treated each student like her own children (which may/may not have included a stern talking to or a parent phone call.)

The Sentinel once quoted a former student, Monica Marquez as saying," Mrs. Chavies

not only taught me the foundations of music theory, harmony, composition, and

performance, but she also taught me the finer points of etiquette, artistry, and

presentation. Most importantly, she taught me to love music, especially the piano."

List of accomplishments

Hobbies:

She enjoyed bowling, sewing, and knitting .

Liked collecting miniature pianos and string base figurines.

She also enjoyed fishing, being at the cabin on Grand Mesa and playing card

games with friends and family. When playing cards and she drew a wild joker she

would kiss the card and always hoping for another one.

Her relaxation came from playing the piano.

She enjoyed spending time with her brother Arthur Gilbert, teaching and playing

piano, and traveling on cruises.

Clubs and Other organizations:

●Wednesday Music Club

●Became a State Certified music teacher

●She belonged to the Elks Ladies

●Grand Junction Music Teachers Association (charter member)

●White Shrine member

●Worthy Matron Order of Eastern Star, and worthy advisor for Rainbow Girls

●Bell ringer at the First United Methodist Church

●Mesa County Community Concert Board member

●Mesa College Civic Symphony Orchestra; first chair string bass for 43 years.

●One accolade she was proud of was Colorado State Music Teacher of the Year

by the Co State Teachers Assoc. June 5, 2008