Mary Ellen Maton 1921-2007
Resident of Orinda Mary Ellen
Maton passed away on October 21
at Alta Bates Hospital in
Berkeley. She was born in
Gridley, California, the
youngest child of Chris and
Bertha Maton. She graduated from
Gridley Elementary School in
1935, and from Gridley High
School in 1939. In high school
she was 1st violinist in the
Tri-County Symphony Orchestra,
wrote and acted in numerous
school plays, and was elected
student body president in her
senior year.
Determined to attend college,
she worked double shifts in a
cannery each summer to pay for
the ensuing academic year. She
earned an A.B. degree in
education from Chico State
University in 1942 and an M.A.
degree in psychology from
Columbia University in 1946. She
did post-graduate work at
Claremont College in California
and the University of Hawaii.
She was head of the physical
education department at Napa
Junior College (1943-1946), a
group therapist at Napa State
Hospital (1945-1946), and dean
of girls at Redlands High School
before coming to Contra Costa
County in 1948. Mary Ellen was
Director of Pupil Personnel for
Contra Costa County schools from
1948 to 1965, and Director of
Special Education for the John
Swett School District from 1965
until her retirement in 1981.
She was proud of her work on
behalf of children in Contra
Costa County, especially the
handicapped. In addition to
establishing guidance programs,
she also established special
education programs for the
mentally retarded and
educationally handicapped. From
1963-1965, she was Project
Director for a Pilot
Compensatory Education program,
and from 1965-1966, was Project
Director for Pilot Head Start
Pre-school programs.
She was an active member of many
professional organizations
including: California
Association for the Mentally
Retarded, California Association
for the Neuralogically
Handicapped, Council for
Exceptional Children, Northern
California Guidance Association,
and California Association of
School Administrators.
Mary Ellen's favorite activities
were traveling, camping, and
reading. She loved to establish
camp on the Oregon coast, settle
down next to a warm fire and a
cord of wood, and read her way
through New Yorker magazines and
a carefully-selected stack of
books. Mary Ellen Maton died as
she lived - quietly, with
dignity, and with her Mickey
Mouse watch firmly in place on
her wrist.
She lives in the hearts of those
who love her - Miss Blue, Maude,
and Ellen Jones. There will be
no memorial service. Donations
in her name may be made to:
Chico State University General
Fund, Chico State University,
Chico, California 95929-0234
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