So this is a Fan Photo submission that has grown into a full-blown family feature story. What can we tell you? We think you’ll love meeting Mary Jane Carter Richey Smith as much as we have…
First – the above photo is of Mary Jane and her four children (yep, she’s the Easter Bunny) on the lawn for the city-wide Easter Egg Hunt put on by Earl Brothers in 1952, who was the owner of the BC Theater at the time, we’re told.
Mary Jane and her family arrived here in 1931, before Boulder City was even a town. Her father was a highscaler who unfortunately lost his life working on the Dam in 1934.
Jim Widner, who met Mary Jane some 4 years ago, also maintains the BCHS Alumni Website, and she gave him the photo. And then he sent it to us – but more than that – he suggested we call her. So we did, and what a joy! She claims she’s finally given up golfing and mountain climbing, but we’re not sure we believe it. She’s spry of mind and heart as could be.
But here’s the best part – Mary Jane, now 92 years young, still comes back to Boulder City every year for the BCHS Class Reunions. She lives up in Eugene, Oregon now along with most of her children (currently aged 67, 69 and 70). She says she makes the flight back to BC for the reunion for the Class of 1943, where she believes only she and 1 other alumni are still here to celebrate.
She says she’ll be here for the next reunion this October!
We hope you’ve enjoyed this little trip back in time as much as we have. Mary Jane says she is blessed and very fortunate in life, surrounded as she is with family and those who care about her. And we agree – lucky her and lucky us!
