Mary Crawford

We would like to share with all of our members, the recipient of the prestigious “Volunteer of the Year” for 2012 - 2013 is: Mary Crawford.

This year at the RA Spring Volunteer Luncheon at the Bayside Holiday Inn, we surprised our long-time volunteer, Mary Crawford, with the news that she was the recipient of the UCSD Retirement Association’s Volunteer of the Year Award.

We would like to introduce this super-volunteer to the rest of our members. Mary has been active in RA volunteer efforts since she retired from UCSD in 1990.

Born in Buffalo, New York, Mary followed close childhood friends to California, fell in love with San Diego's lovely weather and beautiful beaches, and decided to make it her new home. She punctuated her 5-year work experience with Convair Astronautics with two, year-long stays in Germany and Austria, returning to San Diego to pursue a new job, this time at UCSD. She served Don Wilkie, then Director of the Birch Aquarium, as his Executive Assistant for 8 years, and then went on to responsible positions in Construction & Building Operations, Parking Enforcement and Student Health. She retired from her 25- year career at UCSD in 1990.

Having dabbled in the arts since her childhood, Mary's artistic tendencies flourished in retirement, with cultivation of her craft through a variety of local art classes. Members will be able to enjoy Mary's watercolors at the 2nd Annual RA Spring Art Show & Sale, and throughout the summer months, as she will be the RA Featured Artist for Summer Quarter. In addition to art, Mary is happiest when generously giving of her time and boundless smiles to her main volunteer commitments - the USS Midway, where she volunteers twice a week, and of course to the UCSD Retirement Assn!