Mary Frances Abrahams

Mary was born on July 5th, 1924, in Wichita, Kansas, to Oliver Wendell and Martha Mae (Robinson) Holmes. Her early years were spent primarily in Wichita, Kansas. However, her family spent a lot of time in Arizona, which is where her maternal grandmother and her mother’s siblings had settled. She even attended school in Phoenix during these lengthy visits: at Wilson Elementary in grade school and Phoenix Union High School her junior year. Mary’s sister, Betty, and four brothers, Richard, Wendell, Paul and Bruce, predeceased her.

After graduating from high school, Mary worked until she was eligible to join the Navy Waves where she served as a 3rd Class Petty Officer during WWII from 1945-1946. She attended Boot Camp at Hunter College in The Bronx, NYC, NY; trained in Teletype in Washington D.C. and then was stationed in San Francisco, CA in a relay station, re-routing ticker-tape messages.

Mary met her future husband before the war and exchanged letters with him throughout his time in the Army. On December 22nd, 1945, she married Technician 4th Grade, Albert Raymond Abrahams, from the Army’s 3rd Medical Battalion, who served in WWII from 1941-1945 as a cook for an ambulance unit. They met in Wichita, were married in San Francisco, and settled in Phoenix. They purchased a small home in what is now the Camelback East neighborhood of Phoenix and started their family.

Throughout her life, Mary was an athlete. Before she entered the Navy, she was employed at Boeing, in Wichita, to play on their women’s basketball and softball teams. After WWII she played for several years on a semi-professional women’s softball team.

Mary played softball, slow pitch, and volleyball on city leagues into her 50’s. She was dedicated to helping girls learn and enjoy sports of all kinds. She received her bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Arizona State College (now Arizona State University) in 1951 and later received her master’s degree from ASU. She taught in the Madison School District until she and Albert started their family.

Mary stayed home to care for their children: Ronald Eugene, Karen Sue, Barbara Diane, and Douglas Allen. When Doug started kindergarten, Mary took a job as a P.E. teacher for the Tempe Elementary School District. Mary and Albert relocated the family to Tempe in 1966. They purchased their final home in 1969 in a new subdivision at the Southern edge of Tempe, surrounded by corn fields. This neighborhood eventually became the middle of Tempe.

Christian faith was an important part of Mary’s life. She and Albert became members of First Christian Church in Phoenix in the early years of their marriage, then Mountain View Christian Church when their children were in school. They transferred their membership to Tempe’s First Christian Church after moving to Tempe. They occasionally held summer positions at United Christian Youth Camp, Albert as camp cook and Mary as recreation director. They raised their children modeling Christian values and faith.

When Mary and Albert retired, they did some travelling until Albert died in 1985.

During retirement, Mary was a very busy woman. She became active in the Tempe Women’s Club, as a member for over 15 years and serving in several appointed and elected positions including program chair and president. She volunteered for Meals on Wheels, played Bridge, and travelled across the US and Europe to see sights and visit family and friends. She enjoyed attending church and church functions. She helped with after school care for her grandchildren. She shared her home with ASU students, her young adult grandchildren, and other family members. She was active, friendly, and always ready for an adventure.

Mary developed dementia that slowly progressed and led to her death. Her children provided care and companionship through these difficult years. She was a pleasure to be around, with a positive energy and a focus on fun. She passed to her eternal rest in her daughter’s home in Maricopa, Arizona, with family present.

Mary is survived by her children: Ron Abrahams and his wife Rebecca; Karen Moses and her husband Bino; Barbara Adamson and her husband Steve; Douglas Abrahams and his wife Wendy Deakins; grandchildren Molly (Abrahams) Matthews, Simon Abrahams, Rachel Abrahams, Robert Moses, Brett Moses, Shelby Moses, Micah Adamson, Kari (Adamson) Pollock, Kohleun Adamson, and Luke Adamson; great grandchildren Zoe and Anna Matthews; Amy, Anastasia, Stephen, Isabella and Curtis Pollock; and Kirsten Moses. We will all miss our mother, aka Grammy, as will her friends, relatives, and neighbors.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 2nd, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at First Christian Church, 2720 S. Dorsey Lane, Tempe, Arizona. A graveside service will be held at noon at Green Acres Mortuary & Cemetery, 401 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, Arizona. Then friends and family return to the church for a luncheon and to share memories.

For many years, Mary donated to charities that helped children born with facial deformities to have these surgically repaired. For those who would like to make a donation in her memory, please consider donating to: Smiles International Foundation. http://www.SmilesInternationalFoundation.org Find them on Facebook.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.greenacresmortuary.net for the Abrahams family.