ForeverMissed
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It is with profound sadness that the family of MaryLee Dunbar announce her peaceful passing of natural causes in Bothell, WA on August 3, 2021 at the age of 96 years.

Her family will remember MaryLee as a feisty and spirited lady, a woman overflowing with life and energy.  She was fiercely proud of her “small but mighty” family, and she enjoyed bringing smiles to the faces of those around her. Her caretakers were precious to her, and she thought of them as her Chateau family.

She will be lovingly remembered by her daughters: Leslie Masters, Wanda Merz, and Debra Nelson; her 3 grandchildren: Jo Anna Bredenkamp, Matthew Merz, and Lillian AbouHarb; her 5 great grandchildren; and her numerous nieces and nephews. She will also be dearly missed by her friends, including those at the Chateau Bothell Landing. She is also survived by her sister, Margery Hedman, and her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents; by her loving husband of 54 years, Ward Dunbar; and by her brother and sister-in-law, John and Hiroe Mendenhall.

At the family’s request, a private event will be held when the dangers of the novel coronavirus subside. The family wishes to send a special thank you to the staff at the Chateau Bothell Landing for their exemplary care, compassion, and kindness.

Tributes

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Lilly AbouHarb
July 19, 2023
July 19, 2023
Today, you would have been 98. And I find myself smiling, fondly remembering your birthday parties. It seems like they were always sunny afternoons, marked by good food and even better company. I wish I could hear the poem you would have come up with about being 98. Love you so much!
Jackie Houston
September 7, 2022
September 7, 2022
I knew Mary Lee very briefly, I worked as a server in the retirement home she lived at and she was an utter delight to be around. She always made me smile with her stories and mischievous grins. She was a kind and gentle soul, so when I started she was very patient as I worked up my speed in the service of handling her lunches and dinners in the dining area. She was always surrounded by her friends and having great laughter and times. They sat at the same place always, in the center in the back of the dining area, bathed in sunlight looking like angels.

I remember how happy she was that she had a great grandchild and she showed me the pictures. So cute!!!! I could have talked with her for hours and hours. Alas, I always had to pull myself away to the rest of my duties.

I'm honored to read more about her life and the people she touched. I recall a limerick she recited sometimes to us,,, but only the first lines, if anyone happened to know the rest it would be lovely to know so I remember her better. I'm wishing good thoughts to wherever she may be now and I'll always have a smile when I think of her.

"My Name is Mary Lee, I am 93"
Debra Nelson
October 13, 2021
October 13, 2021
My Mother loved people,
   bowling, laughter, and dance.
   Her smile lit the world, as she stole centerstage.
My Mother strove to be, yearned to be, more.
   A breaker of boundaries, a champion.
     She was generous, chatty, and full of life.
My Mother was soulful, fluid, vulnerable,
   and made of steel.
   She was bold, defiant, resolute.
My mother loved writing limericks, telling jokes,
to sing, draw and paint.
   She made beautiful cards, gave them freely.
My mother loved people, was kind,
and liked to make you smile.
   Hers will be greatly missed.

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Recent Tributes
Lilly AbouHarb
July 19, 2023
July 19, 2023
Today, you would have been 98. And I find myself smiling, fondly remembering your birthday parties. It seems like they were always sunny afternoons, marked by good food and even better company. I wish I could hear the poem you would have come up with about being 98. Love you so much!
Jackie Houston
September 7, 2022
September 7, 2022
I knew Mary Lee very briefly, I worked as a server in the retirement home she lived at and she was an utter delight to be around. She always made me smile with her stories and mischievous grins. She was a kind and gentle soul, so when I started she was very patient as I worked up my speed in the service of handling her lunches and dinners in the dining area. She was always surrounded by her friends and having great laughter and times. They sat at the same place always, in the center in the back of the dining area, bathed in sunlight looking like angels.

I remember how happy she was that she had a great grandchild and she showed me the pictures. So cute!!!! I could have talked with her for hours and hours. Alas, I always had to pull myself away to the rest of my duties.

I'm honored to read more about her life and the people she touched. I recall a limerick she recited sometimes to us,,, but only the first lines, if anyone happened to know the rest it would be lovely to know so I remember her better. I'm wishing good thoughts to wherever she may be now and I'll always have a smile when I think of her.

"My Name is Mary Lee, I am 93"
Debra Nelson
October 13, 2021
October 13, 2021
My Mother loved people,
   bowling, laughter, and dance.
   Her smile lit the world, as she stole centerstage.
My Mother strove to be, yearned to be, more.
   A breaker of boundaries, a champion.
     She was generous, chatty, and full of life.
My Mother was soulful, fluid, vulnerable,
   and made of steel.
   She was bold, defiant, resolute.
My mother loved writing limericks, telling jokes,
to sing, draw and paint.
   She made beautiful cards, gave them freely.
My mother loved people, was kind,
and liked to make you smile.
   Hers will be greatly missed.
Gallery
February 2018 - Lil & Sam’s wedding
February 17, 2018 - MaryLee at granddaughter Lilly's wedding
April 17, 2021 - MaryLee with daughter Debra, granddaughter Lilly, and great-grandsons, Finn and Kai
MaryLee with a mug she made in art class!
MaryLee holding her great-grandson, Finn
MaryLee with her father, Mark, and son-in-law, Jon.
MaryLee's 96th birthday party July 19, 2021
View all 22 items
Her Life

Early Life

October 14, 2021
by Lilly AbouHarb
MaryLee was born in Deer Park, WA on July 19, 1925 to Mark Francis Mendenhall Jr and Cleo Rachel Markwick Mendenhall. She spent her childhood in Spokane with her beloved grandparents, William and Myrtle Markwick. She graduated from Lewis & Clark High School, class of 1943.

Adulthood

October 14, 2021
by Lilly AbouHarb
As a young woman, she moved to Seattle, WA and married Ward Leslie Dunbar on August 16, 1947. She became a champion bowler in a local league, audited engineering courses at the University of Washington, and raised her three daughters. She served her community, including the local PTA and March of Dimes; canvassed to support local schools; and volunteered and worked at a local hospital. In 1968, she and her husband moved to Lake Sammamish, where they enjoyed hosting gatherings of friends and family.

Retirement

October 14, 2021
by Lilly AbouHarb
Retirement took Mary Lee and Ward through a number of moves in Washington: a hill-top house in Bellevue; a smaller new house in Puyallup; and finally, a happy home at Friendly Village in Redmond. They enjoyed being an active part of that community until MaryLee was widowed on July 1, 2002. Upon her husband’s passing, she decided to move into a retirement community, where her needs for social interaction and activity were well-met. Here, she discovered her love of the arts, including crafts of all kinds, singing, and poetry. She participated in many community activities, such as the choir, craft and exercise classes, and the hospitality team, where she welcomed new residents and made them feel at home.
Recent stories

my "rich" uncle and aunt

December 6, 2021
by Marilyn Skelly
When I graduated from high school, I didn't bother to reserve a cap and gown ($10 fee was more than I wanted to ask my mother to pay). It was Ward and Marylee that stepped up and said, "this is something to celebrate".  They took me out to a restaurant for dinner and even ordered me a Mai Thai (it was probably a virgin Mai Thai). I got to keep the Tiki glass and treasured it for many years. 

For me they were my "rich" relatives.  Now I know that what made them rich was their warmth, their generosity and their strong sense that life was something to celebrate.

Marylee was always ready to step-up.  When I casually mentioned how I liked camping but by husband didn't she said, "I'll go with you".  We planned a trip with my then 2-year-old son, an old tent that was a challenge to put up and had a wonderful time.

Marylee was a strong woman and a mentor.  I feel lucky to have had her in my life.
November 19, 2021
by Lilly AbouHarb
When I was a kid, Grandma MaryLee would pick me up from school and watch me for a few hours until my parents were done with work. So I saw her almost every day. I remember long walks, parks, pools, bird-watching, hide-and-go-seek, classical music, and poetry books. When I would stay overnight, she would pull blankets out of the black dragon chest and make up the pull-out bed. We would whisper into what felt like very late in the night. Everything that comes out of that chest has a very distinctive smell, and to this day, that smell sends me careening into those childhood memories of whispered stories and sleep-overs with Grandma.

She was an extra-special grandma, and I miss her dearly. I am so grateful that my children got to meet her. In so many ways, I feel like she hung around just to meet them.
November 18, 2021
by Judy Imholte
Marylee was one of my favorite people! I always enjoyed our time together. She was such a kind, caring and fun person. I miss her and Ward! They were both very special.

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