Happy 90th Birthday Marie Yvonne

 "My your journey take you on miraculous adventures,

continued paths of light and love

and may your daily discoveries always

feed your soul with life's blessings."  

 

 I received this from Marie Yvonne's granddaughter Jeanne:

 

On Sunday, June 14, 2026 at 11:20:32 PM PDT, Jeanne Caron- 

Our dear American family, 

I hope you are all well. 

Marie Yvonne (or as we call her, Mayon) is celebrating her 90^th birthday on June 21^st. 

For this special occasion, we thought she would love to receive letters, postcards, photos, or anything else you think would make her happy! 

 

Thank you for her and I hope to see you again soon, 

Jeanne

 

I wrote this in an email followed by hard copy cards and photos send snail mail:

 

Barb Cabot 

 

To:Jeanne Caron-Guyon

Sun, Jun 21 at 6:27 AM

Dear Jeanne, Thank you so much for sending this.  My card will not arrive on time therefore I'm sending this for now and hope you can share with Marie Yvonne.Love Barbara PS the card and some photos will arrive soon.

Dearest Marie Yvonne, In thinking about your 90th birthday I have been reminiscing about the length and breadth of our friendship. The friendship that began in early summer 1974 when I had an art show. Etienne then a visiting professor in the Physics dept at UCLA found me somehow.  He said you and he  had gone to my weaving exhibition at the recreation center at UCLA. It was my Master of Arts degree exhibition.  He said his wife was very interested in the arts and that she would like to meet me. He gave me your phone number.  We talked and set a date to go out for dinner.  I remember so well that evening I picked you up. You and the family had rented a house on the beach in Venice.  When I drove to the address I saw you sitting on the steps, your red hair was still a bit wet. You were brushing it and the wind was blowing your hair beautifully. You were a lovely vision, like a mystical mermaid.  I remember this always. That first time we met.  We had a lovely night. We talked and talked about your life in Limours. You were on the town art council. We talked about my art and your family. I liked you right away. Your smile, your warmth, your enthusiasm for everything.  You were such a bright light.  You said you loved California and the beach and the house you had rented. You said Jane Fonda lived nearby.  That time you were there I can't remember how long it was, maybe a year that Etienne was a visiting professor. You and I saw each other many times and our friendship blossomed. We had many parties and I met your children. That fall of 1974 Mike started his studies in the Physics dept. So in thinking back I knew you before I knew him. The years became decades but our friendship never diminished. You came back to California many more times and there were more parties. You met all of my family and eventually as the years passed you met my children.  You kept inviting me to come to visit you in Paris. You said you must come but I was so busy raising my family that travel wasn't that easy. Then in 1999 (25 years after our first meeting) you wrote and said I really must try to come as Etienne was retiring from his position at Ecole Normale.  So I made the decision to finally come to Paris with my daughter Aria was 15 1/2 years old.  We had a wonderful 3 weeks with you and the family.  I will always think of that summer as one of the highlights of my life.  Being with you and Etienne and the family was a very special time.  I met your sister I believe she lived in Switzerland.  I visited Collette whom I had met years prior upon her visit to America.  I met your beautiful grand-daughters (Ann's girls) and I met Jeanne who was so cute.  One night you drove us all to Monmartre and we walked around and looked at the artist's work. One day you drove Aria and I to Monet's Giverny with your mother who was 84 years old at the time. We had a lovely sunny day in Monet's garden.  So many memories. The years passed and there were visits you and your family made and also members of my family visited you and you were so kind to my parents, my sister Jocelyn and her husband Vicente and Mike's mother and his sister.  When Athena my youngest daughter was in college and visited you she was sick and you took care of her. That was such a kindness. It is so who you are, a loving nurturing soul.

We loved getting to know your children who grew to be adults before our eyes and your grandchildren as well.  All your beautiful family whom we have grown to know and love.  I attach a few photos.  I have written all this in a card and have made copies of photographs but they will not arrive in time so here are a few photos.  I hope you have a wonderful 90th birthday.  I wish you a happy, free spirit with a heart that soars forever with joy.  You are so loved my dear friend.  We send our warmest wishes for a happy day of celebration today and always. love Barbara and Mike

 

                            Laguna beach Marie Yvonne, Gail Pincus,Etienne                                                                                

                            Laguna, Rachid from Morocco makes couscous

 

                                             Marie Yvonne's youngest son comes to visit with Mickie Pincus. He talks to Mike about airplanes. He's very interested in flying.  Years later he becomes an Air France Pilot. 

in 1999 we visited the Guyon's and stayed in their apartment at Ecole Normale Superiore University

 

So many decades of friendships.  I have the parties in my heart and the images of brunches in our backyard on La Grange, parties at the Clarks home in west Los Angeles, trips with Emmanuel and Aude to Knott's berry farm, Jocelyn made Aude a summer dress and took her to a club in Chinatown.  We had swim parties at Randy's house where the family danced. So many wonderful memories. Too many to count but all in my heart.