Los Angeles
County
Biographies
MARY EDITH BARRETT
Inheriting
some of the courage and stoutheartedness of her pioneer ancestors, Edith Mary
Barrett is succeeding in her desire to help her fellow man. Mrs. Barrett is one of five volunteers who
are instructor trainers for American National Red Cross and trains all first
aid instructors in the San Gabriel Valley.
She has trained between five and six thousand people in Red Cross work,
including some seventy-five instructors.
Mrs. Barrett has worked in every phase of Red Cross and is a member of
its canteen and motor service. She has
received an award of merit and a medal for her work; she wrote the Red Cross
history for the Post Advocate’s fiftieth anniversary issue. In addition to her dedication to the Red
Cross Mrs. Barrett has since 1942 given two thousand hours of voluntary service
to Alhambra Civil Defense. She helped to
compile the Civil Defense personnel files and managed them for two years. A talented and highly trained musician, Mrs.
Barrett has characteristically shared her musical talent with the people and
children of Alhambra, acting as accompanist for Garfield School for twenty-five
years, and is presently acting as accompanist for the Alhambra city schools. Starting full time private music teaching in
1955, Mrs. Barrett teaches piano, organ, theory, harmony, and music history to
children and adults. She is a member of
the California Music Teachers’ Association, the American Guild of Organists,
and the National Guild of Piano Teachers.
She is organist and choir director at the Marengo Avenue Methodist
Church in Alhambra in addition to being an honorary
member of the Methodist Men and a member of the Methodist Hospital auxiliary
and the Women’s Society of Christian Service.
She is also a member of the Alhambra Civic Chorus, and the National
Fellowship of Methodist Musicians.
Born
Edith Mary Coons on June 2, 1909, in Boulder, Colorado, Mrs. Barrett is the
daughter of Marshall H. and Julia Etta (Wellman-Berger) Coons. Mrs. Barrett’s father was a professional
advertising man, a native of Illinois.
Her mother’s people have been traced back to William the Conqueror of
England and Mrs. Barrett’s maternal grandparents were pioneers in Boulder. Her grandfather started for California in
1854 in the Gold Rush days, but became ill and stopped in Colorado. He helped to found the city of Boulder and
donated a large portion of land on which now stands the University of
Colorado. He also farmed the first crop
of wheat in the area. Mrs. Barrett’s
grandmother came to Boulder in 1860.
Born in Boulder, Mrs. Barrett’s mother was very prominent there and at
one time was the county clerk in Boulder County. Mrs. Barrett’s sister, Opal McDaniel, lives
in Kansas City, Missouri.
Receiving
her elementary education at Mapleton School in Boulder, and her high school
education at Boulder Preparatory School, Mrs. Barrett then attended the
University of Colorado. She graduated
from Sherwood Music School with a diploma and a teacher’s certificate. She then continued her musical education
privately with master teachers.
At
a ceremony in the bride’s home, the former Miss Edith Mary Coons was married to
Charles McWhirter Barrett on November 3, 1927, in
Boulder, Colorado. Josephine Antoine,
who sang at the Barrett’s wedding, later became a Metropolitan Opera
singer. The son of the dean of education
at the University of Colorado, Mr. Barrett is an electronics engineer who is
now retired. The Barrett’s came to
California in 1932, first to Los Angeles, moving to Alhambra later in the same
year. They now live at 211 East McLean,
which is also Mrs. Barrett’s studio. Mr.
Barrett was a member of the Alhambra auxiliary police force during World War
II. Their daughter, Beverly Jean, is now
Mrs. John W. Ramsell and is the mother of six
children ranging in age from twelve to two years: Bretton Gilbert
Smith, Jr., Alan Ray Smith, Anne Marie Ramsell, Paul
Weston Ramsell, Mary Theresa Ramsell,
and John Charles Ramsell. The three older children attend John Marshall
School in Rosemead. The Ramsell family lives in Rosemead where Mr. Ramsell is associated with the
Thrifty Drug Store chain.
Mrs.
Barrett classifies people as one of her chief interests. She enjoys handicrafts as a hobby. All of her life she has been systematically
working toward her goal of leaving the world a little better place than it was
when she came into it.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Historical Volume &
Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel &
Temple City, by Robert P. Studer, Pages 632-634, Historical Publ., Los Angeles,
California. 1962.
©
2013 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPHIES