Mary Carol Perrott, 82, passed away of natural causes on January 13, 2026, in Laguna Woods, California. Born on August 11, 1943, in Bucyrus, Ohio, she lived a life marked by curiosity, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to education and service.

Mary Carol was the daughter of Ralph O. Perrott, Wilma Jane Auck Perrott, and step-daughter of Laura Schaefer Perrott. She was preceded in death by her siblings Sue Jane Perrott Siferd, Peter R. Perrott, and Sara Perrott Rose. She is survived by her step-siblings John S. Rose and Mary L. Rose, who remained part of her extended family throughout her life.

A gifted scholar, Mary Carol graduated from Denison University in 1965 before moving to Maryland, where she earned both her M.S. and Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Maryland.  While in Maryland she married John Boren and was a step-mother to John's two children. During this time, she co-authored the influential psychology text Behavior Principles, first published in 1968. Her intellectual curiosity later led her to pursue an MBA from Stanford University, which she completed in 1982.

Mary Carol’s professional life was as varied as it was distinguished. She served as a high-level college administrator in Hawaii, where she married Larry Miller and became step-mother to his two children. After Larry’s passing, she returned to the mainland and continued her administrative career at UC Irvine, where she formed a cherished, enduring friendship with Anne Tsui. Mary Carol considered Anne and her family to be her own extended family, and she took great joy in being godmother to Anne’s daughter, Amelia and Anne's nephew Julian.

Guided by a deepening sense of spiritual purpose, Mary Carol later pursued a new calling in ministry. She earned a Doctorate in Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and went on to serve as a Presbyterian minister. Her ministry took her across the world, including time spent teaching English in China and Japan through a Presbyterian mission. She later married Clifford Bell.  She eventually served as the head minister of a Presbyterian church in Kansas with Cliff at her side.  After her ministry in Kansas she returned to the southwest and eventually made her home with Cliff in Laguna Woods, CA.

Throughout her life, the Presbyterian Church remained a central source of community, meaning, and service. Mary Carol cherished the congregations she served and the many friendships she formed through her faith.

Mary Carol’s life was defined by learning, leadership, and love—love for her family, her friends, her students, her congregations, and the many communities she touched. She will be remembered for her intellect, her generosity, her adventurous spirit, and her unwavering belief in the power of education and faith to transform lives.

A memorial will be held at 1pm, Saturday, March 7, 2026, at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods.