Mary Vanborg

Oct 27, 1957 -

Sep 25, 2020

Mary Vanborg passed away with family by her side on Sept. 25, 2020, after a 2-year journey with cancer. Mary was 62 years old.

Mary was born on Oct. 27, 1957, to Lyda and Buster "Bob" in Needles, Calif., and was raised in the Pinetop/Lakeside area of Arizona. She later met and married her high school sweetheart Steve in 1974, and had their first daughter, Andrea. Mary and Steve later moved to Anchorage, Alaska, and had two more daughters, Jessica and Kelsey, and their nephew Gary joined the family. Mary and Steve separated after several years of marriage.

Mary would go on to remarry in 2012, to Bert Vanborg. Mary and Bert spent their remaining years together in Anchorage. Mary would live her dream of RV living in Fort Mohave, Ariz., where she could visit her her mom and Jeff.

Mary worked at ERA Aviation for almost two decades in its many iterations in the fixed base operations. She loved rubbing elbows with all kinds of random celebrities and travelers from around the globe. Oh, the stories she would tell about who was a diva and who was the nicest ever.

She loved her family and will be remembered for her kindness. She enjoyed traveling and playing slot machines. She loved any and all Mexican food, and steak dinners at the American Legion with her friends.

Mary is survived by her husband, Bert; four children, Andrea, Jessica, Kelsey and Gary; three grandchildren; brothers, Robert and Don; and her parents, Lyda and Jeff.

She is preceded in death by her father, Buster Shields.

A celebration of life gathering will be held on Oct. 24, 2020, from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., at the American Legion, Post 28, 7001 Brayton Drive in Anchorage.