Obituary of Mary Lee Jenkins

Mary Lee Jenkins (maiden name Ratcliff) was born January 13, 1926 in Mississippi to parents, Willa Mae Youngblood and Ado Ratcliff. Mary married young to Mattio Ellzey who both were blessed with a son, Michael Douglas Ellzey. She went on to marry again to Percy Lane Jenkins who she would spend the rest of her life with until his passing in 2009. They were married for over 65 years. They were blessed with 3 children, Lynn P. Jenkins, Gail Jenkins and Calvin Jenkins. Mary relocated from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Santa Cruz, California to live closer to her mother and where she continued to raise her children. She worked as a Nurse Assistant for Cabrillo Convalescent, Santa Cruz, CA for many years before she had to take an early retirement due to disability. Mary was a devoted member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Santa Cruz. She worked regularly as a volunteer in their clothes donation services. She helped her husband Percy Jenkins, in his side business hauling metal for recycle on the weekends. She really enjoyed doing this because it was something her and Percy both enjoyed with riding in his truck, making many hauling stops, meeting people, having breakfast together on the road, and for Mary stopping at antique stores, which she absolutely loved doing. Mary loved her family and her family loved her. We were all so richly blessed with her presence in our lives. Her sense of humor, her wisdom, her love of jazz and blues music, her love of being outside tending to her flowers, especially her love of roses, but most of all her caring and being there for you, even if just to listen or to hug you; or say “baby, it’s going to be alright” On Christmas Day, December 25, 2019 at 3:10pm in her home surrounded by family, the Lord in His infinite wisdom decided to call one of His dear children home. She leaves to cherish her lovely memories, one daughter, Gail Jenkins; three sons, Michael D. Ellzey, Lynn Jenkins, Calvin Jenkins; six grandchildren, Kayla Whaley, Tamee Jenkins, Severina Deese, Kingston Humphrey, Michael Ellzey, Jr. and Tenesha Frazier-Ellzey; seven great grand-children, Desheay Jenkins, Donivin Prendez, Dabion DeLaCerda-Jenkins, Andre Frazier-Ellzey, Serena Garland, Cayenne Ellzey, and Sky Ellzey; one daughter-in-law, Norma Gonzales-Jenkins and a host of relatives and friends. A Memorial Service Celebrating the Life of Mary Lee Jenkins will be held at Santa Cruz Memorial - Mission Chapel, 1927 Ocean Street Ext., Santa Cruz, CA 95060 on Saturday, November 6, 2021 at 11 AM. She will be laid to rest alongside her beloved husband, Percy Jenkins, at Santa Cruz Memorial Park.