Mary Clugston

Mary E. Clugston was born to Nellie and William Enoah on April 3,1939 on the Navajo Reservation near Hogback, San Juan County, New Mexico. She was one nine siblings and was the last of them to pass on. She was called home to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on December 15, 2022 at the age of 83.

When Mary was very small, her mother passed away. After her father contracted tuberculous, she spent time in an orphanage in Farmington, NM and attended Navajo Prep school. Her father passed away in 1957.

Mary endured many hardships in her life and one of her hardest started at the orphanage. She was a strong young woman and was determined to get an education. She attended college and eventually earned a Masters in Education from Brigham Young University. Her first teaching job was at Montezuma Creek, Utah.

Mary had no children of her own, but an opportunity came for her to foster and raise two young brothers, Donavan and Patrick (Reggie) Sanderson. They learned to love Mary as their "Mama". She couldn't have loved them anymore than if they were her own blood.

Montezuma Creek is where she met the love of her life, Glen Clugston. Glen worked with his father at a pawn shop. Mary and Glen became good friends. They were married in the spring of 1975.

Not after long the four of them moved to the Enoah family farm and there they made their home, worked. Mary was still living on the farm until her passing. She worked for Central Consolidated School until she retired. Mary was a teacher, councilor and even an assistant principal during her long career and was even a member of the National Board of Education for the President of the United States in Washington DC under the President Gerald Ford. Glen and her family were very proud of her.

Mary was an avid animal lover. She always had animals. Before her passing she had four horses, six dogs and numerous cats. The summer before her passing, she volunteered to watch a dozen or so sheep for a friend. She loved her animals.

Mary was the strongest willed woman alive. She loved with all her heart. She loved her Lord Savior Jesus Christ and was proud to tell you she talked to him daily, thanking him for giving another day in this world.

Family was important to her. If you were lucky enough to be loved by her, you knew it. She'd tell you. Also, if you needed "straightened out" she would tell you too. Out of love she was the best "Mama, Grandma and Auntie" to so many.

There were many memories made while working at the Navajo Fairs all across the Reservation in their food concessions. For years, Donavan and Pat were knee-deep in hamburgers, soda and cotton candy. The four of them would load up with supplies, travel to the fairs, work 20 - hour days all weekend and then she would come back to work her regular job. They worked hard together several months of the year, but they seemed to love it.

Mary and Glen had many happy memories and loved to travel together. They made several trips to Mexico and British Columbia where they loved to fish. In her lifetime she made numerous lifelong friends. Glen and Mary took in several strangers to the farm to help them work the place, most of which remained forever friends. The last to be adopted by Mary was Mark Malouff. Glen and Mary were friends with Mark's parents for years. Mark's father had already passed away and Mark had quit his job to take care of his mother who was bedridden. He took care of her for three years. When she passed away, Mary was worried about him. Mary took him under her wing. Since her boys weren't around, she needed him and he needed her. He was her right hand man. He worked on the farm, with whatever she needed done. He kept track of her doctor appointments and took her to them. He took her to the store for dog and cat food and many other things. She loved and appreciated him so much.

Glen and Mary were divorced for a year or so before he passed away in 2007. Just before his passing they began seeing each other again and were starting to work out their differences. He still loved her and she loved him. We are sure there was a happy reunion in heaven at her passing.

Family was important to Mary. And her heritage was right up there with her love of the Lord. She was of the "Salt Clan" and proud of it. She loved so many of her siblings' families like her own and that's way so many called her Grandma Mary or Auntie Mary. She had made a promise to her brother Roy that the farm would go back to his family. Herman and Samuel, Roy's sons, knew of her plans for the farm. Samuel was the oldest of the two boys and she wanted him to know of her wishes for Herman to take the place. She felt that was best. She talked to both of them and didn't want there to be any issues with her decision.

Mary was loved by her family and friends. We know she is home with the Lord and was welcomed into heaven. Family and friends were there to greet and love her. What a happy day for them.