Mary Ellen Spielman

Mary Ellen (Madden) Spielman was born on March 30, 1932, to Charles and Clara (Alexander) Madden in Mimbres, New Mexico. Mary had two older brothers, Charles (Chuck) Madden, Jr. and John “Rusty” Madden.

Mary’s family lived in Ajo, Arizona, before moving to Fresno, California in 1943. Mary graduated from Fresno High School in 1950 where she was one of the top female tennis players in Fresno. After high school, Mary worked for Lerner’s Department store in California, New York and Arizona.

Mary attended Fresno City College, Fresno State, and later in life UC Santa Barbara. At Fresno State, she worked as the assistant to the manager of the Bulldog Foundation. While working there, she met a young football player named Robert (Bob) Spielman and they began dating. Bob and Mary were married on July 25, 1959, and lived in Fresno, where they welcomed their first son Kurt. They moved to Simi Valley in 1962 where Bob accepted his first teaching position at Simi Valley High School. Shortly after moving to Simi, Mary had their sons Brent and Scott. Frustrated that there was no hospital in Simi and having to go to the San Fernando Valley to have her children, Mary was part of the founding team to open Simi Valley Adventist Hospital in 1965.

Mary was very proud to have played a key role in establishing the Simi Police Department and setting up the first Neighborhood Councils and was part of the Incorporation of the City of Simi Valley in 1969. She worked in Human Resources for the City of Simi Valley for over ten years. Later in her career, Mary worked as Human Resources Director for Malabar Industries in Simi Valley before retiring.

Mary and Bob attended St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church since 1962. Mary was a member of the Yaw-Yaw sisters at St. Rose as well. She loved Simi Valley and was very involved in the community, YMCA, Republican party, and she supported the Simi Education Foundation and the Lew Roth Award as well as the Reagan Library. Mary and Bob were honored with the Humanitarian Award by the Simi Community Foundation for their contributions and service to Simi Valley.

She loved her grandkids and great grandkids very much and was affectionately known as Big Nana. She loved to read, watch sports, take family vacations to Trinity Lake and Lake Powell, camping trips to the desert, and traveling throughout the country with Bob in a bus he converted into an RV. They were also members of the local Conejo Valley Model A club for many years.

Mary passed away on March 21, 2026, at the age of 93. She was predeceased by her parents and brothers, and Bob, her husband of 65 years. She is survived by their three sons and their spouses; Kurt and Maureen, Brent and Roberta, Scott and Stephanie; 8 grandchildren, Megan MacArthur (Cody), Ben (Alli, Fiancé), Aaron (Ashley), Bethany, Jason (Laura), Joseph, Annaliese Hazen (Dawson) and Will; and 7 great-grandchildren, Leighton, Colton, Breckyn, Audrey, Natalie, Calum, Jayse, and another great grandbaby to come in May.

A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, May 15, 2026, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church at 1305 Royal Avenue, Simi Valley, CA 93065 with the Rosary Service at 9:30 a.m. and the Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. Immediately following the funeral mass, the interment of Mary’s ashes is to be held at nearby Assumption Cemetery at 1380 Fitzgerald Road in Simi Valley, CA 93065.

The Spielman family would like to thank the care staff at Ivy Park at Wood Ranch in Simi and the staff and nurses of Pacific Crest Hospice for their compassionate care and support.