Mar-Mary Knox passed away on November 18, 2024, at home in Lake Arrowhead, California.

Reaching 100 years of life is a remarkable feat of luck, as she said at her 100th birthday party last February. Beyond good health and a comfortable life, Mar-Mary lived to 100 because she was always loved.

Mar-Mary will be missed and remembered by her 24 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She was loved by 12 children—five of her own: Michael, Kathy, Leslie, Gordon, and Mar-Mary, and seven stepchildren: Russell, Martha, Gregory, Michelle, Rebecca, David and Linda.

Born on February 3, 1924, in Toronto to Kathleen Ann Smith and Gordon Campbell Mitchell, Mar-Mary was named for her two grandmothers, Margaret and Mary, which her sister shortened to Mar-Mary. A Canadian by birth, she became a United States citizen to vote for President Dwight Eisenhower.

Known for her sharp mind at cards, love of baseball, and a good vodka tonic, Mar-Mary lived a full life.

This week, she joined the loved ones she lost. At peace, she is now in heaven with them but is greatly missed by those she left behind. She joins her late husbands, Ted Woodhead, Bill Buss and Art Knox, her sons, Michael and Gordon, and her daughters, Leslie and Martha.

Growing up, Mar-Mary was a bit of a nomad, moving from home to home and convent to convent with her sister Gloria. This upbringing gave her resilience and a talent for making friends wherever she went. A child of the Great Depression and a teenager during World War II, Mar-Mary came of age when she moved to New York City in 1943. This April, she visited New York for the last time, 81 years later.

While in New York, she met a naval officer, Ted Woodhead, and married him in 1945. As the wife of a naval officer, Mar-Mary’s habit of moving continued as she and Ted moved from base to base. Together, they had Michael in New York City, Kathy in Bethesda, Maryland, Leslie in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Gordon in Long Beach, California.

She finally settled in Southern California. In 1964, Mar-Mary married Dr. Bill Buss bringing two families together. In 1967, their daughter Mar-Mary was born in Long Beach. The family lived in Huntington Beach and enjoyed an active life with family and friends. Bill passed away suddenly from a heart attack in 1985.

Mar-Mary later moved to the desert, where she met retired pilot Art Knox. They married in 1996 and moved to Lake Arrowhead in 1997, where they both spent the rest of their lives. Art passed away in November 2007.

As the mother of five children and seven stepchildren, Mar-Mary created a network of families that remain indelibly connected. For her centennial celebration, all those who loved her gathered, including most of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Anyone who had the pleasure of facing Mar-Mary in a game of cards witnessed her sharp mind and talent for strategy. To the very end, her passion for bridge brought her joy and a sense of community. For her, the game was more than just a pastime—it was a way to bring people together.

As a philanthropist, Mar-Mary was involved in several charitable organizations, including St. Mary’s Hospital, Orange County Philharmonic, and Mountain Community Hospital Auxiliary. Donations in her honor may be made to Mountain Community Hospital Auxiliary(MCHA).

MCHA

PO Box 70

Lake Arrowhead, CA

92352

Memo: In memory of Mar-Mary Knox

A celebration of Mar-Mary’s life will be planned sometime in the New Year.

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