Mary Elizabeth Barrie, a steadfast advocate for the great outdoors, died on January 13, 2024, from pancreatic cancer. Mary was born in Plattsburgh, NY, on November 11, 1950, to William Barrie and Emily Barrie.
She graduated from Brown University with a degree in art history followed by a master’s degree in library science from the State University of New York at Albany. She went on to work as a law librarian for several Los Angeles law firms.
Growing up in the Adirondack Mountains of New York gave Mary an appreciation of nature and nurtured her love of animals. In 1982, she moved her family to Southern California and then found La Cañada in 1988. Because Mary was a country girl at heart, she fell in love with the trails and open space.
To preserve these for generations to come, Mary served on the La Cañada Flintridge Trails Council for more than 20 years. As chairman of the city’s Trails Master Plan Committee, she hiked and measured all 23 miles of La Cañada’s trails to create an accurate trails map, leading to the La Cañada Trails Master Plan and the completion of a 15-mile loop trail circling the city. She helped spearhead the successful effort to preserve Cherry Canyon and then build the Ultimate Destination Trail, Vista Point, and the Descanso Trail there. She served in various appointed positions for the city. She was also active in Pasadena politics, often through the group she founded, Friends of Hahamongna — recipient of the Thorny Rose Award in the Doo Dah Parade. Individually, she received the Les Tupper Community Service Award for outstanding volunteer achievement.
Mary loved horses and was a long-time board member of Rose Bowl Riders in Hahamongna Watershed Park. She spent many happy hours riding with her family in La Cañada and Pasadena and made many friends along the way.
Mary is survived by her husband of 47 years, Ted Stork, daughter, Emily Stork (Clement), her grandson, Sebastien Stork-Cid, and her siblings, Emily Barrie, and Edward Barrie.
Services will be held on January 26 at 5:00 p.m. at Cabot and Sons. In lieu of flowers, please support the La Cañada Flintridge Trails Council: https://www.lcftrails.org/join-donate/.
