Mary Ann Sunderlage, was born in Omaha, Ne. on Nov. 29, 1931. She was a 50 year resident of California, a 23 year resident of Landers, and more recently a resident of Joshua Tree. Mary passed away from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema, on March 29, 2010 at Hi Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree. The daughter of Jacob Wm. Fulkerson (born in Penn, North Dakota and died in 1977) and Mary E. McIntyre (born in Toronto, Canada and died in 1997), Mary was born November 29, 1931, in Omaha, Nebraska. Mary grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota where she graduated from St. Margaret's Academy. She worked as a telephone operator for North Western Bell Telephone and then enlisted in the United States Air Force to serve her country as a radio mechanic for airborne equipment at Scott AFB in Illinois. She was honorably discharged from the USAF at Kirkland AFB in New Mexico in September of 1951. She was married to Wm G. McBride and had three children. The family moved to the Southern California area, where Mary was involved in many community organizations. She was the 4-H founder and leader in the Riverside area. In San Diego, she became the major stockholder and President of BS Specialty Clamps. Mary also built and operated Shakey's restaurants in San Diego, California. She was married to her first husband Wm G. McBride from 1951-1970. She was married to her second husband, David Sunderlage, from 1974-1987. She had three children, son William K. McBride born in 1952, Patti A. Levesque, born in 1954, and Barry A. McBride born in 1957. Until retiring in 2008, Mary was a Real Estate Broker in San Diego and, for the past 23 years, in the Hi Desert area. She was a member of the Landers Moose Lodge, one of the first female Presidents of Rotary Int'l, and Past President of Landers Chamber of Commerce. She was a member of the Board of Realtors for years in Yucca Valley. She was a founding member of the Better Breathers Club of Joshua Tree and an advocate of education through The American Lung Association and world-wide COPD organizations. Mary was a loving mother and a devout Catholic. Mary was a published author. Her book "Sophie" is a fictionalized account of real people with all of the events happening more then 100 years ago. The story recounts the tragic death of her Grandfather, John W. Fulkerson, and the life of her heroic Grandmother, Sophie. This was her legacy to her children, grandchildren, and the generations of great-grandchildren to follow. Her book was published in 2007 with the aid of her daughter Patti and culminated in a book signing at Barnes and Noble in Palm Desert, California. She dedicated her book to the loving memory of her father. Mary was preceded in death by her parents; father Jacob "Jay" Wm. Fulkerson who died in 1977; mother Mary E. McIntyre who died in 1977. She also lost grandson, Evan McBride, who died tragically in a automobile accident in 2001. Evan was the son of Billy McBride and Ruth Ann Ferrari. She is survived by sons Billy McBride of Pioneertown, California and Barry McBride of Joshua Tree, California; daughter Patti Levesque of San Diego, California; grand-daughter Lisa Marie Murray; grandsons Matthew Bedore, Adam M. Levesque, Josh M. Levesque, Aaron McBride, and Jesse Gilbert; great-grandchildren Julia Levesque and Dean Levesque; daughter-in-law Kathy McBride (wife of Billy); beloved cousin Melvin (Alan) Fulkerson and family; Maria Fulkerson and family; Chuck and JoAn Mc Bride and Families, life time friends Delores (Dee) Conway and family; and so many other distant family and friends she dearly loved. All of Mary's family and friends are encouraged to attend the Celebration of Life Memorial Service on April 24th at 2:00 p.m. at her home in Joshua Tree, CA. Her ashes will be blessed during the Saturday evening Mass at: St Mary's of the Valley Church in Yucca Valley, CA.