Maryan Strathy Schall: September 10, 1930 – January 2, 2024

“Who can turn the world on with her smile…?” Those of us of a certain age hear those lyrics and immediately think of the theme song to The Mary Tyler Moore Show. We propose those words could fit just as nicely as the theme to the life of Maryan Strathy Schall, who turned the world on with her glorious smile every day of her 93-year life.

Maryan Lois Strathy was born September 10, 1930, in Minneapolis, MN. She was a brilliant student, someone who loved to learn, who loved all facets of academia. She was valedictorian of her high school class and, when her own kids were in high school, she went back to college and earned a double masters and a PhD in Communications. She was always a card-carrying member of the “Grammar Police” and would correct anybody (regardless of their status) on the proper usage of the English language. If she could have gone to school for the rest of her life, she probably would have. Maryan was extremely well-read and was able to converse on any topic; she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, even when those topics may have been controversial. She never worried about what others thought about her or might say about her – such concerns simply weren’t in her realm of thinking. She never had a bad word to say about anybody – ever – so it didn’t occur to her that others might have a bad word to say about her. She was a role model for living every day with a positive and optimistic attitude.

Maryan married the love of her life, her partner, her best friend, and her equal on every level, Richard Schall in 1951. They started their life together with $250 and an old jalopy that Dick no doubt found in the Sunday Want-Ads. (In those days, their idea of a great Saturday night was to get the Sunday paper hot off the presses so they could get first dibs on the Sunday Want-Ads). They created a great life for themselves which included four children who meant the world to them (David Schall, Caryn Schall, Janny Gothro, and Dawn Saglio. Maryan is also survived by eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren). Through Maryan and Dick’s combined smarts and hard work, and after more than a half century spent in Minneapolis, they found their way to Santa Barbara to begin the second chapter of their lives. 

While in Minnesota, Maryan served on the boards of The Guthrie Theater and St. John’s University, but it was in Santa Barbara that she was really able to make her mark. Dick had retired, all the kids had flown the nest, and Maryan was eager to put her mental and physical energy to good use. She served on the boards or governing committees of The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, Planned Parenthood, Child Abuse Listening and Mediation (CALM), USCB Affiliates, The Arts Fund, Santa Barbara City Council’s Advisory Council, the Music Academy of the West Auxiliary, the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and the Sansum Santa Barbara Medical Foundation Clinic. She was known to be the consummate Midwesterner: compassionate, friendly, gracious, and modest. Along with that, she was a driving force to give back to the community, a trait that was equally shared by Dick.

In 2003, they were named Philanthropists of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. In 2004, they were the facilitators – and provided the initial seed money source for – the development of a fully accredited high school for youth who had completed treatment for alcohol and/or drug addiction and were committed to sobriety. In 2007, they were both awarded the Pierre Claeyssens Award for Distinguished Service, and in 2009 Maryan was named Woman of the Year by the Santa Barbara Foundation; a prestigious award given each year to one man and one woman who “made a significant impact on Santa Barbara through volunteer service and involvement.” She was Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care’s Mother of the Year at its annual Mother’s Day Luncheon in 2011. During the luncheon, her four children serenaded her with their own original lyrics sung to the tune of “Mame,” re-titled “Mom.” We may have been off-key at times, (ok, we were) but Mom never noticed. She was sitting in the audience with her huge smile soaking up every flat note or fumbled word. She loved to sing, and she loved it when the family composed songs for special occasions and performed them for her. She also loved to perform! In fact, when the day came when she knew she was ready to retire from one of her long-time board positions, she wrote a song informing the board of her decision and then sang it to them! Shy, she was not.

If you were to ask Mom what matters most in life, she would not hesitate for one second. She would say loud and proud, FAMILY! And she was, of course, the core of our family. She was an amazing mother whose unconditional love was expressed in endless ways every single day of her long, magnificent life.

We could go on and on about her accomplishments and honors, but she would be giving us all sorts of verbal and non-verbal signs to stop. So instead, let us end by saying that a stroke unexpectedly put out the bright light we know as Maryan Schall on January 2, 2024. We could use her great communication skills now to help us say how much we loved her and how much we are going to miss her. Since that is not possible, we will conclude by saying that the woman who turned the world on with her smile is now sharing that same smile in the world beyond. We believe that smile is even brighter now because she has been reunited with her beloved Dickie Bird just as she had been wishing and hoping for over eight years. Thank you Mom for all that you have taught us about the gifts of love and kindness.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara (sbscholarship.org) or The United Way of Santa Barbara County (unitedwaysb.org). A celebration of her life will be held in early Spring 2024.