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Mavis Bilbray Clute died today in her home in Carlsbad...she was 90 years old and is the mother of Congressman Brian Bilbray
she is the mother in law of my niece Carrie Lee Bilbray and mother to her husband William Bilbray
she was 90 years old and had been ailing for many years
Official Obituary from Sign on San Diego
thx for the link Grasca
BILBRAY-CLUTE, MAVIS Remembering Mavis Bilbray-Clute Feb. 8, 1920 to May 13, 2010 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Mavis Lillian Bilbray-Clute (b. Becker), the mother of Congressman Brian Bilbray, recently passed away peacefully at her home in Carlsbad. Mavis was born in Sandgate, a suburb of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia and grew up on the Booubyjan Station, a cattle ranch in the "outback" community of Goomeri. Fascinated with tennis, Mavis grew up and became the Queensland Mixed-Doubles Champion while attending the University of Brisbane where she attained a degree in accounting. Mavis met Hubert Patrick Bilbray, a Chief Warrant Officer in the U.S. Navy, in 1943 shortly after the Battle of Brisbane. The two met in the Queens Hotel which, at the time, was being used as the headquarters for General Douglas McArthur. The two were married on March 11, 1943. Mavis made her way to America on the S.S. Lurline, which was the first successful Pacific Ocean passage of any ship carrying Australian war brides. The couple made their life in San Diego and had four children, Bill, Robert, Brian and Barry. Mavis, using her accounting degree, opened Bilbray Tax Services in Imperial Beach, acted as the treasurer for the Imperial Beach Chamber of Commerce, assisted with various political groups and taught her children how to play tennis. "She continued to best us at tennis well into her sixties," said Congressman Bilbray. "Mom made a real impression on us kids when it came to loving America," recounted Bilbray. "She told us about when the Lurline sailed into San Francisco Bay. She said, coming in and sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge, with the bridge framed by the mountains, it seemed as if America was giving her a hug and welcoming her to a new home." Always with a competitive edge, Mavis was proud to be the first of all the Australian brides who came over on the Lurline to become an American citizen. "She always considered herself an American from Australia, not an Australian-American," said Congressman Bilbray. Widowed in 1968, Mavis remarried in 1971 to Commander George S. Clute who served as a Naval Aviator in World War Two. Commander Clute passed away in 1999. "She was always loving, and strong," said Congressman Bilbray. "There's no good way to prepare for the reality of losing your mom." Mavis is survived by her sons and their spouses Jan Clute, Bill and Carrie Bilbray, Robert and Susan Bilbray, Brian and Karen Bilbray, and Barry Bilbray, 12 grandchildren, 14 great-grand-children, and her longtime caregivers Lisa Hughes and Shelly Patton. Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 19, 2010, at Holy Cross Cemetery in San Diego. The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations in the name of Mavis L. Clute may be made to the Building Fund of St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 6628 Santa Isabel Street, Carlsbad, CA 92009.
Mavis Bilbray Clute died today in her home in Carlsbad...she was 90 years old and is the mother of Congressman Brian Bilbray
she is the mother in law of my niece Carrie Lee Bilbray and mother to her husband William Bilbray
she was 90 years old and had been ailing for many years
Official Obituary from Sign on San Diego
thx for the link Grasca
BILBRAY-CLUTE, MAVIS Remembering Mavis Bilbray-Clute Feb. 8, 1920 to May 13, 2010 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Mavis Lillian Bilbray-Clute (b. Becker), the mother of Congressman Brian Bilbray, recently passed away peacefully at her home in Carlsbad. Mavis was born in Sandgate, a suburb of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia and grew up on the Booubyjan Station, a cattle ranch in the "outback" community of Goomeri. Fascinated with tennis, Mavis grew up and became the Queensland Mixed-Doubles Champion while attending the University of Brisbane where she attained a degree in accounting. Mavis met Hubert Patrick Bilbray, a Chief Warrant Officer in the U.S. Navy, in 1943 shortly after the Battle of Brisbane. The two met in the Queens Hotel which, at the time, was being used as the headquarters for General Douglas McArthur. The two were married on March 11, 1943. Mavis made her way to America on the S.S. Lurline, which was the first successful Pacific Ocean passage of any ship carrying Australian war brides. The couple made their life in San Diego and had four children, Bill, Robert, Brian and Barry. Mavis, using her accounting degree, opened Bilbray Tax Services in Imperial Beach, acted as the treasurer for the Imperial Beach Chamber of Commerce, assisted with various political groups and taught her children how to play tennis. "She continued to best us at tennis well into her sixties," said Congressman Bilbray. "Mom made a real impression on us kids when it came to loving America," recounted Bilbray. "She told us about when the Lurline sailed into San Francisco Bay. She said, coming in and sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge, with the bridge framed by the mountains, it seemed as if America was giving her a hug and welcoming her to a new home." Always with a competitive edge, Mavis was proud to be the first of all the Australian brides who came over on the Lurline to become an American citizen. "She always considered herself an American from Australia, not an Australian-American," said Congressman Bilbray. Widowed in 1968, Mavis remarried in 1971 to Commander George S. Clute who served as a Naval Aviator in World War Two. Commander Clute passed away in 1999. "She was always loving, and strong," said Congressman Bilbray. "There's no good way to prepare for the reality of losing your mom." Mavis is survived by her sons and their spouses Jan Clute, Bill and Carrie Bilbray, Robert and Susan Bilbray, Brian and Karen Bilbray, and Barry Bilbray, 12 grandchildren, 14 great-grand-children, and her longtime caregivers Lisa Hughes and Shelly Patton. Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 19, 2010, at Holy Cross Cemetery in San Diego. The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations in the name of Mavis L. Clute may be made to the Building Fund of St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 6628 Santa Isabel Street, Carlsbad, CA 92009.