Obituary of Mary Ann Ponza

Mary A. Ponza, 96, passed away in Santa Cruz on Wednesday, December 13. She was born in Los Angeles, CA, the daughter of recent immigrants, Michael and Anna Sawaya, where she met and married George J. Ponza, a native Santa Cruzan, in 1942. They eventually settled in Santa Cruz to start a family in 1948. Mary was a devoted wife to her husband and mother of two children. She was a gifted musician--master of the accordion, piano, and organ. She loved gardening, particularly tending to her lovely collection of roses and fruit trees, playing golf, and collecting cook books. She was a member of the Santa Cruz Organ Music Club and DeLaveaga Nifty-Niner Golf Club, and enjoyed traveling abroad. Her husband George passed away in 2013.  Mary is survived by her two children, Georgiana (Oleg Osipoff) Osipova and Michael (Kathleen) Ponza, her four grandchildren, Alessandra, Mikhail, Michael, and Meghan, and her sister Virginia Rynearson of Shingletown, CA. Contributions preferred to the SPCA, 2685 Chanticleer Ave, Santa Cruz, 95062.