Mary Elizabeth Carner, 100, better known as Liz, passed away peacefully of natural causes, May 24, 2024, in Simi Valley, California.
Liz was born in 1924, in the very small community of Simpson, Nevada a part of Smith Valley to Francis DeWitt Burke and Mary Margaret Schultz. Raised on her grandparent’s small farm, Liz the youngest of three sisters, an older brother, and one younger brother, grew up knowing a simpler time with plenty of back breaking chores, including milking more than a dozen cows each morning before attending school.
Liz a graduate of Smith Valley High School, 1940, attended Reno Business College and worked for a year at the Reno Army Air Base. She went on to work for the Reno branch of Mutual of Omaha Insurance. Liz moved to Bridgeport, California and married her first husband, James W. Cain, in 1946, and had two kids, Gail and Mark. Liz returned to work in 1956 as a secretary for the Mono County Road Department. Then In 1958 she moved to Gardnerville, Nevada and commuted to Carson City working as secretary for the Nevada Industrial Commission. Liz returned to Bridgeport, married her second husband, Fred Carner, in 1959 and had one child, Fred Carner Jr. She returned to working for Mono County as a clerk typist and was later appointed Election’s Clerk. In 1975 she became Assistant Superior Court Clerk until her retirement in 1978. Liz was never one to stay Idle and later became Secretary to the Sheriff of Mono County while still enjoying hunting, fishing, and hiking in the High Sierra.
Liz is survived by her son, Fred Carner Jr., her granddaughter, Nicole, and grandson, Garret.