Mary Lee Stam
1930 ~ 2007
Mary Lee Fagan Stam, age 77, died on Wednesday, October 17 at her home, of cancer.She was born in Mason City, Iowa, daughter of Daniel and Faye Duncan Fagan on July 2, 1930. Mary Lee graduated from El Segundo High School in El Segundo, CA, in 1948. She spent a year in community college and during that time reunited with Marshall Stam who had been a childhood friend and neighbor in Iowa. They were married on June 22, 1949 in Santa Monica, California. Marshall and Mary Lee then moved to Illinois where Mary Lee did clerical work to support them while Marshall earned his degree from Northwestern University. Later, they moved to Southern California where Marshall did his post graduate work. Mary Lee and Marshall traveled through of much the western United States as a result of Marshall's job in the petroleum industry.
In the 1950s, when they lived in Salt Lake City, their three children were born and Mary Lee devoted her time to raising them. In 1966, the family was transferred to Denmark where they spent 5 years, returning to the US in 1971. They spent more years moving around the south and western States, retired in 1980 and in 1981 moved back to the Salt Lake City they loved.
Mary Lee spent several years as a volunteer hospital aid in Bakersfield, California, and here in Salt Lake City. In 1989, Marshall died.
Mary Lee spent the last years of her life traveling with friends, visiting family and having fun with her four grandchildren.
She is survived by her son, Gordon, of Park City, daughters Marilyn Epps and Elizabeth Bletz of the San Francisco Bay Area, a sister, Shirley Askeland of Pacific Grove, CA; and her four beloved grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 21 in the Governor's Plaza atrium, 560 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent in Mary Lee's name to the Salt Lake City Parks Department Trust Fund, % Val Pope. The address is: 1965 West 500 South, SLC, UT 84104.