Mary Gerard

Mary Lee Gerard was a loving mother, grandmother, friend, and educator. She was born on November 10, 1944 in San Bernardino, California. She passed away on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 in the Palmdale, California home she shared with her son and his family. She was 71 years old.

Mary was the first child born to William and Rose Sumption. She had three sisters: Susan, Margaret, and Patricia and two brothers: William and Michael.

Mary was a devout Catholic and lifelong educator. As a young woman she helped her mother, Rose, care for her younger brothers and sisters. In 1962, she left her family to pursue her love of God and her desire to teach young people by becoming a postulant to the Sisters of the Holy Names in Los Gatos, California. During this time she also furthered her education at the College of the Holy Names in Oakland. She would later earn a Masters degree in Education, Administration and Supervision from California State University, Northridge in 1981.

While she felt a calling to be part of the church, Mary knew she wanted to start a family of her own. She left the convent before taking her final vows. Her first opportunity to be a public educator came teaching 7th/8th grade at Wilsona in 1970. Ever since that day, she has worked in some capacity at the Wilsona School District. Over the past 45 years she has been a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, superintendent, principal (again), and finally retired to become an administrative consultant. FYI. She was lovingly referred to as the heart and soul of the Wilsona School District.

Mary was married twice. Her first marriage was to Robert Walter Cleare on July 1, 1972. This union resulted in two sons, Robert and Jonathan. She later married Gregory Lloyd Gerard on March 5, 1988. She loved and cared for his children, Michelle and Joseph, and his grandchildren as if they were her own.

She is survived by her son Robert William Cleare and his wife Daysi and Jonathan Patrick Cleare and his wife Julie. She was a loving grandmother to Anabelle Cleare, Stevie Brooks, Liam Cleare, Savannah Bame, A.J. Bame, Kaleb Bame, Jaxson Bame, Jessica Asselin, Joshua McDonald, Amanda Dunton, and Chelsea Dutton.

In lieu of sending flowers, the family asks you to kindly donate to her memorial fund at gofundme.com/c9mcwdek to help support the grandchildren she loved so dearly.