June 21, 2008 - A Garden Potluck at the Vocelka home in Bishop, CA - 4pm 'til dark
June 28, 2008 - Memorial Service at the Yosemite Community Church -
12:30 to 2:00pm in Yosemite Valley
July 1, 2008 - Burlington , Wisconsin - 2:30pm Rosary at St. Mary's
3:00pm committal service at St. Mary's Cemetery
Mary Anna Weiss Vocelka-
Long time resident of the Sierra, passed away June 1, 2008. Mary was born on December 11, 1947 to Eugene and B. Weiss in Burlington, Wisconsin. As a young child, often in her favorite red cowboy hat and boots, Mary would travel west with her parents where she would become enchanted with the landscapes she found there. She made the move west in 1967, where she took a summer job in Yosemite National Park at Wawona. Although she held many jobs, she was known most for her work as the Research Librarian for the National Park Service as well as the school librarian at Yosemite Elementary School . She is mentioned in hundreds of publications for her diligent research, and even after leaving the library, it wasn't unusual to receive an envelope full of clippings and a note saying “I thought you'd find this interesting, Mary”. She met the love of her life, Derrick Vocelka in Yosemite and they married on June 10th, 1968. They had a daughter, Sarah and lived in the park for 30 years.
A natural artist, autodidact and bibliophile, her interests ranged from Lewis and Clark and the Western Expansion, John Muir, Vietnam, to Wisconsin natural history. She read multitudes of biographies that often lead to more extensive reading on anything she might find interesting; with the mind of a researcher, a feel for the language and an empathetic heart. She was always on the look out for outstanding children's literature, and hosted a children's book club in Yosemite for many years. Her love of books was passed on to her daughter and grandchildren. Although she read mostly non-fiction, she took great pleasure that she could experience Harry Potter and The Golden Compass with her grandsons. They would have phone discussions to no end and lament the details left out of the movies.
Mary and Derrick moved to Bishop, California in 1998 after a short stay in Auburn, CA where she worked at Odyssey Books in Grass Valley, CA. In Bishop she quickly became involved in Audubon, the Native Plant Society, and the Manzanar Historical Site. She worked at the Bishop Nursery where she perfected her green thumb.
Mary was full of grace and kindness. The consummate letter writer, she corresponded with her many friends with beautifully hand written letters, full of news, observances and good wishes. Her grandchildren were spoiled with little love notes sent out of the blue. An attentive listener she was always interested in the lives of her friends. She was quietly elegant.
She loved Cathedral Peak in Tuolumne Meadows, oak trees and acorns, alpine glow, walks along the river with friends and soup lunches at the Ahwahnee Hotel. She was an amazing cook and wonderful baker. We will miss her Christmas cookies. She kept a beautiful home, albeit lined with books, and found joy in making gifts for her friends.
She is survived by her husband of 40 years, Derrick of Bishop, CA; daughter Sarah and adored son-in-law Mitch Hendrickson and beloved grandsons Caspar Vik and Duncan Muir of Grass Valley, CA. She was preceded in death by her father in 1957 and mother in 2001.
Memorial services will be held in Yosemite National Park, CA on Saturday, June 28th, from 12:30pm to 2pm at the Yosemite Community Church in Yosemite Valley, a potluck garden party will be held at the Vocelka home in Bishop, CA on Sat. June 21st from 4pm 'til dark and in Burlington, Wisconsin on July 1st at St. Mary's Church. Rosary at 2:30pm, committal at 3:00pm St. Mary's Cemetery.
Memorial contributions can be made to The Yosemite Fund or Manzanar Historical Site in her memory.