Mary Watty Stelzner

Mary Watty Stelzner died peacefully and surrounded by family on Good Friday, March 29, 2024, at the age of 100 years. A smart, kind, funny, and unfailingly cheerful woman, Mary was a daughter, sister, cousin, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend and neighbor, stranger and newcomer, peacekeeper, devout Catholic, volunteer extraordinaire, gracious hostess, proud Cal alum, chief cook and bottlewasher, gardener, mentor and role model.

Mary was born on December 30, 1923, in Alameda, California to immigrant parents, the youngest in a family of five. She was very proud of her heritage, growing up in a large family group of Schemitsch tantes and cousins, many of whom maintained their close connections all their lives.

In January 1942, Mary enrolled at UC Berkeley, and majored in Social Welfare. That same year, she met the love of her life, Tom Stelzner, at Newman Hall, and they married in June 1946, 10 days after he returned from serving in the Pacific. Tom’s 38-year career with Chevron allowed them to relocate no less than 13 times, mostly in Southern California but also with assignments in the Bay Area, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and in Khartoum, Sudan. 

In retirement, Mary and Tom first moved to Sebastopol where they built a home on three acres, planting vegetables, berries, fruit trees and grape vines. In 1995, Mary and Tom moved to a new home in Petaluma, where they soon became well-known in the neighborhood for their evening strolls and friendly chats with neighbors. They continued to travel widely in retirement, and they shared many memorable cruises and Tahoe reunions with their family over the years. 

After Tom's passing in 2013, Mary stepped into her new life with characteristic grace and independence, maintaining the rich tradition of family gatherings and community involvement. Her commitment to her faith and her role at the Petaluma History Museum were testaments to her lifelong love of learning and her desire to stay active and connected.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Stelzner, and daughter, Kathleen Borreson, and is survived by five children including: Patricia S. Powers, Marilyn Stelzner, Robert Stelzner, Janet Rose, and Gregory Stelzner. She is also survived by seventeen grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren. 

Services have been held. Donations in Mary’s memory can be made to Redwood Empire Food Bank or the Petaluma Museum Association.

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