Mary Evelyn Hartsfield, 84, of Anacortes, beloved mother, and grandmother, reunited with her beloved Rex, who preceded her in 2013, when she went to be with her Lord and Savior on September 15, 2023, at her residence.

Mary was born in Okanogan on April 21, 1939, the daughter of Clarence & Evelyn (Wenner) Hetzel. In 1940, the family, which now included sister Margaret, moved to Anacortes.  Together, Mary and Margaret were Brownies, Rainbow Girls, and musicians in the Anacortes High School marching band.  Other activities included playing marbles and mumblety-peg at recess, dance, piano, and organ lessons, Saturday evening dances at the Holiday Ballroom followed by playing organ the following morning for church, working in the Skagit berry fields, and frequent family trips to see their grandparents in Lemmon, South Dakota.  Mary and Margaret graduated from Anacortes High School, Mary as salutatorian of the Class of '56, and Margaret in '58.

Mary and Margaret both pursued music education degrees at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, even living in the same dormitory!  Summers Mary worked in an Anacortes fish cannery, so stinky when she got home that even the cat would not come near her, or in the galley of the MV Klickitat. Following graduation in 1960, Mary taught music in grades K-8 in Sandy, Oregon, and, beginning in the fall of 1964, K-6 in the Anacortes schools.

While in Anacortes, she attended a house party given by her co-worker, Betty Lang, at Similk Beach after seeing the movie "My Fair Lady" the same day.  Here, teetotaling Mary met a young man tending the bar, a Navy NCO from Tennessee who had deployed to NAS Whidbey early in 1965.  She heard his name as "Rex Harrison".  He let the mistake slide for a while, waiting until the precise moment she introduced him to her parents to give his actual name: James "Rex" Hartsfield .  A few months later, the school system heard of Betty Lang's engagement to Peter Moore and Mary's engagement to Rex on the exact same day!  The Summer of 1966 saw Mary and Rex blissfully wed at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Anacortes, followed by a honeymoon to the Canadian Rockies and Calgary Stampede.

While Rex continued with his Navy career in Oak Harbor, Mary taught music locally in the four elementary schools in Anacortes, serving a year as president of the teacher's association before retiring in 1967. Two sons were born to the Hartsfields. Rex retired from the Navy in 1979.  Mary often said she "married Rex to see the World" with the Navy only to live in the house where she grew up, next door to her parents.  She and the boys did see the USA though; several road trips between Anacortes and Tennessee or Florida, including a 45-day, 39-state trip, with nephew Edward, in 1977.

Rex accepted a position with the Sperry Corporation in Clearwater, Florida, moving his family to nearby Seminole. Once the boys were in high school, Mary re-entered the workforce as an aide at Seminole High School, helping convert the library from an analog card catalog to the digital age.  Again, there were many trips between Florida and Anacortes by "trains, planes and automobiles".

In late 1987, the Hartsfields relocated to Fayetteville, Tennessee, where, in nearby Huntsville, Alabama, Rex helped to form a Defense and Aerospace Group and served as the VP of Business Development.  Mary worked for a time as Rex's executive secretary, traveling with him on business trips. Here, Mary and Rex were within 5-hours' drive of both sons, Eric at U.T. Knoxville and Carl at Georgia Tech.

In late 1990, the Hartsfields moved back to the Pacific Northwest with Rex's decision to be self-employed as an Independent Consultant.  He soon secured a position at NAS Whidbey as a training analyst, a position he held until 1998.  During 1991 and 1992, Mary came out of retirement, teaching grades K-5 in Keyport, Washington, staying with her sister in Poulsbo during the workweek.

From 2000 to 2010, Mary and Rex lived in Rex's hometown of Columbia, Tennessee, before returning to Anacortes for their golden years.  From Columbia, Mary and Rex were within a day's drive of their granddaughters, Karli and Megan, whom they visited several times a year, often taking them far from home, even to Toronto!

Mary's busy family life did not stop her from actively participating in the communities where they lived throughout Rex's career.  She was a member of the Madrona Chapter #89 of Order of the Eastern Star for 64 years, holding the office of grand organist for the State of Washington for a year.  In Tennessee, Mary raised funds through Amaranth for diabetes research, benefiting programs in Tennessee and Washington; her granddaughter, Karli, being a type-1 diabetic.  She served as organist, choir member, music committee, and director of handbell and children's choirs at Westminster Presbyterian, the First Baptist and the United Methodist Churches of Anacortes, Oakhurst United Methodist in Seminole, Florida, and First United Methodist of Columbia, Tennessee.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Rex, and granddaughter, Karli.  Her sons survive her: Eric (Todd Case), Carl (Michelle) Hartsfield; grandchild Megan; sister Margaret Kennedy, nephew Edward Kennedy; and extended family: Faye, Jerry (Pat), Regena, Sylvia Hartsfield, Pam Black, and many nieces and nephews.

Her Memorial Service with Reception will be held at the United Methodist Church of Anacortes at 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 28, 2023. To share memories of Mary, please visit www.evanschapel.com/obituary/mary-hartsfield.