Mabel E "MaE" Stralo

On Sunday, January 29, 2023, at 90 years young, Mabel Esther Stralo slipped the bonds of this earth to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Mabel was born in Harper Coulee south of Roundup, MT on Father's Day, June 19, 1932 to Harry Hargrave Harper and Edna Blanche (Harroun) Harper, the 9th of 10 children. She was a bright and effervescent spirit who always said she was born to sing (which she did all of her life), dance and be social. This spirit and her steadfast faith in the Lord got her through many hard times in her life.

Early school years were at the Harper School in the coulee. She graduated from Roundup High School and went on to attend one year of school at Prairie Bible Institute in Canada.

MaE worked in several jobs before locating to the San Francisco area where she lived with her brother and helped with his children. She worked as a telephone operator and made lifelong friends with co-workers. She also met a sailor, William E Stralo, who was to become her life partner. They married on Easter Sunday, April 10, 1955, and from this union came two sons and four daughters. They had 51 years before his passing in 2006.

Due to Bill's military service, they moved around and lived in California, Pennsylvania, Virginia and then back to California, settling in Poway. MaE was devoted to her family and was a homemaker providing a stable environment during Bill's numerous deployments. She also provided child care for many families in the neighborhood with whom she was still in touch. MaE was very active in her church over the years and loved singing in the choir -- especially the old hymns; but her niche and joy was found in the nursery with the babies where she worked for many years.

MaE loved being out in her yard and in her garden. She had beautiful roses of many colors. She was an avid walker and many early mornings found her walking with a group of ladies in her neighborhood. She enjoyed travel and was always ready to go when opportunities presented. She visited many places in the states as well as family in Europe. For years she made a road trip to her hometown of Roundup, Montana to participate in the July 4 activities and to visit with many friends and family along the way.

After Bill passed, MaE broadened her passion for singing by joining the RB Chorale in Poway and participated for several years in their performances. One big joy for her was going with the group to Salzburg, Austria to perform in the Sound of Music Festival.

MaE is survived by two daughters, Melody Foulk and Juli (David) Bauer of Valley Center, CA, two sons, William (Jolanda) of Poway, CA and Glen (Machelle) of Fallon, NV, and her "baby" brother, Glen Harper of Missoula, MT. She was predeceased by a daughter, Myona Joy, and infant daughter Merry Rose. She had nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. She also leaves many extended family members and a host of friends that she cherished. She asks that we do not mourn or wear black, but beautiful bright colors and rejoice with her that she is singing in a heavenly choir, playing her harmonica, dancing, and socializing in her forever home.

Poway Bernardo Mortuary is in charge of services as follows:

Viewing at mortuary on Thursday February 16 from 4-8 pm

Committal at Rosecrans National Cemetery Friday February 17 at 1:30 pm

Celebration of Life on Saturday February 18 at 11 am with a luncheon to follow at her church, The Well, 13604 Midland RD Poway, CA 92064

Memorials can be made to Samaritan's Purse, The American Cancer Society, or Veterans of Foreign Wars.