It is with grieving hearts that we announce the passing of Mary Borgny Dorland Wynton. On March 1, we lost a beloved mother, sister, friend and vibrant member of the community. Her spirit will be with us always.
Mary was a kind and generous soul, intelligent and faithful. She loved learning, traveling both nationwide and abroad, and was extremely active and involved
in many organizations, holding offices in a number of them. These include the Shakespeare Club, Tuesday Musicale Juniors (incoming president, former treasurer), the Stanford Club, Sigma Alpha Iota, St. Bede Italian Catholic Federation, Pasadena Presbyterian Church Food Ministry, the Women’s Committee of the Pasadena Symphony Association, the Girl Scouts and Pasadena Heritage.
Mary was a docent for the Gene Autry Museum of the American West and president of her homeowners association in Pasadena.
She thoroughly enjoyed all of her clubs and activities, and thrived in both participating in and giving back to her community. Mary had a passion for the arts and classical music, which led her to become involved with many groups in the Pasadena area.
She sang in her church choir at St. Bede every Sunday and enjoyed performing and going on tours with them. She was also a violinist in the Second Strings Ensemble in Pasadena, acted and sang in the Towne Singers productions, and played the piano her entire life.
She often attended local concerts by the Pasadena Symphony and the L.A. Philharmonic, was a big supporter of both of her daughters’ musical talents and loved to hear them perform.
True to her spirit, she died of a sudden heart attack en route to a fundraiser for the Pasadena Community Orchestra — but only after having played her violin in a concert with the Second String Ensemble, and singing at the Sunday Mass at St. Bede. Mary was a devoted Catholic.
Born at Huntington Hospital on Sept. 1, 1944, Mary grew up in Altadena and lived for 18 years in La Cañada Flintridge, where she raised her three children with her former husband. In 1992, she moved to Pasadena, where she lived until her untimely death.
A dedicated educator, she taught in public schools in Pasadena and La Cañada Flintridge, and worked as children’s librarian for the Los Angeles Public Library for more than 20 years.
Mary graduated as valedictorian from Muir High School in Pasadena (1962), with honors from Stanford University (1965) and earned two master’s degrees, one from the Stanford School of Education and one from the USC library science program.
She had a zest for learning and an insatiable curiosity about all things intellectual and artistic.
She loved the outdoors and had a nearly encyclopedic knowledge about plants and flowers. She loved visiting national parks, and especially enjoyed the Huntington Library gardens, where she was a member and often took her grandchildren. She also enjoyed traveling with her cousin Louise and had many fun excursions with her nationwide and abroad.
Mary was a remarkable person who always tried to see the good in people and things. As one of her friends aptly described her, “She was one of the good people on this earth.” Her bright and spirited ways will live on in the memory of all who were fortunate to know her. She lived her life with gusto and was unfailingly supportive of her children and grandchildren until her death.
Her memory and loving ways will never be forgotten.
She is survived by her three children: Michelle Wynton Taylor (David), Jeanine Wynton (Daniel Levin) and Joel Wynton (Yolanda); her grandchildren: Benjamin, Alana and Penelope; and her brother William (Lynn) Dorland.
A memorial service will be held in her honor on Saturday, April 4, at 10:15 a.m. at St. Bede Catholic Church at 215 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the ICF Scholarship Fund at St. Bede Church (215 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011), or the Pasadena Presbyterian Church Evening Worship Food Ministry (585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101) in her honor.
