Mary Jane Klingensmith

Mary Jane Kurkura Klingensmith quietly passed away on March 8th, 2024, at age 93.

Mary, a native Californian was born in Bell California on August 13, 1930, to Katherine and John Kukura. She graduated from Bell High School where she was active in student government, sports and voluntarism.  She received her B.A. in Elementary Education at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Upon graduation from UCSB, Mary obtained her Master’s degree in Secondary Education from CSULB in 1967.

In 1955 Mary met the love of her life William “Bill” Klingensmith.  After two years of dating, they were married in 1957 and just celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary in September 2023.  Together, they had two beautiful daughters, Lori and Kelli, who were her greatest joy. Her daughters who gave her four wonderful grandchildren: Brett (32) and Katie (29) Krehbiel, Sydney Ramirez (25), and William Wyatt Mitchell (18) who loving called her “Gammy.”

Mary was a teacher, counselor and a research assistant at the Long Beach School District office for 13 years. She taught at Riley Elementary School and then became a counselor at Bancroft Junior High School in Long Beach. During this time, she studied to become a Real Estate Broker.  In 1978 she went on to become a very successful Realtor obtaining her broker’s license. She worked with Robert Weil Associates and then Coldwell Banker Coastal Alliance. She retired in 2008.

Mary’s volunteer career began with the Junior League in 1963.  The Junior League of Long Beach is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Mary rose quickly to leadership positions and served as President in 1970-1971.

In 2010 Mary received Junior League of Long Beach’s Highest Honor and the Helen D. Newcom Award. This award is given annually to a member who embodies the league’s mission and serves as a role model and mentor to other members.

She remained active with the Junior Leage on the Sustainer Council and as an advisor to the Board of Directors, along with other various projects and committees.

Long Beach benefited from Mary’s leadership in a wide variety of areas from education to the arts, youth and health care.  She served on the Long Beach Community Hospital Board for 15 years, eventually presiding as the first woman president of that formerly “male only” Board.  She was a member and past president of The Long Beach Cancer League and past president of the Long Beach Chapter of America Cancer Society.  She was a founding member and past president of Steel Magnolias, a support group for the Stramski Development Center at Miller Childre’s Hospital.  She is also past president of the UCLA Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta Alumnae.

Her community organization memberships include Cameo, a professional auxiliary of the Assistance League of Long Beach; Phoenix, a support group for the Long Beach Museum of Art, she was a 12-year member of Long Beach Memorial Medical Foundation and sat on the Todd Cancer Institute Board.  Other volunteer services include the Long Beach Symphony Board and Guild, and the Children’s Dental Foundation. Mary’s enduring community service includes the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon City Charter Task Force.  In 1991 she was named Rick Racker Woman of the Year.

Mary always believed” The success of a community is dependent upon the contributors of its citizens.”

When Mary was not volunteering or working professionally, she loved gardening, entertaining and baking.  She was dubbed “The Chocolate Lady” for her famous chocolate desserts by none other than Helen Newcomb.

Mary was preceded in death by her loving husband Bill in January of this year.  She is survived by her daughters Lori Klingensmith Wallick and her husband Phil, Kelli Klingensmith Odom and her husband Stephen, her grandchildren Brett, Katie, Sydney and Wyatt, step grandchildren Buz, Elizabeth, Jonathan, Zachary, and niece Christine (Chet) Kudak.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations are made to the American Cancer Society which was near and dear to her heart.