Mary Kelly

Mary Kelly was a woman that lived her life with others in mind; whether she was baking delightful desserts to share, sewing wedding dresses, or ministering to inmates, Mary often set her own needs aside to make someone else’s life a bit brighter. Mary was a true example of what a woman of faith should be.

The 1920’s were a period in our nation’s history full of much change; it began with America’s attempts to conform to the changes of the world and ended with America’s attempts to reform the world. Emil and Josephine Anderson of Chicago, Illinois were preparing for a change of their own as Josephine was due to give birth to their second child at any time. They were blessed with a healthy baby girl that they named Mary on January 29, 1923.

Mary’s father worked as a train engineer and her mother worked from home as a stenographer to support their family that continued to grow with the births of five additional children. Mary was raised in a Catholic home where she enjoyed some of the things that young girls do, especially, singing and roller skating and baking. She attended Sacred Heart Elementary School and Graduated from Chicago’s Harper High School in 1941.

Her favorite summer vacation was in 1940 on Uncle Jim’s ranch in Idaho. In those rugged mountains, in a ford pick up, at 17, she learned to drive. Luckily for her children, she was a good driver from the get go. But even more than the fun of learning to drive, the incredible beauty of Idaho and the peace and activites of country life made an indelible impression on her heart. So much so, that in a later year, she returned to the abandoned ranch for a visit, even though she had to be flown to the old homestead by a bush pilot.

With her new found love of the countryside she was thrilled when her family moved to rural Michigan where they settled in Gibson, north of Saugatuck in June of 1941. What she didn’t know at the time was that her family’s move would affect the direction her life would take in a substantial and amazing way. Her move to the Douglas area paved the way for a fateful blind date to a handsome and charming man named Leo Kelly. It was love at first sight and both Mary and Leo each declared to their parents after that first blind date that they had found the person they would spend the rest of their life with. They were right; after a whirlwind romance over a period of six months, Mary and Leo became husband and wife in the old St. Peter’s Church in Douglas, Michigan on a beautiful spring day, May 21, 1949.

The newlyweds honeymooned in Traverse City, Michigan located in northern Michigan and boasts of beautiful sunsets over the sandy shores of Lake Michigan that the newly weds were able to enjoy from their log cabin on the bay at Kay and Ray cottages. Leo had dreamed of taking his future bride there someday and gave her the royal treatment with dinners out every night!!!! Mary and Leo were later blessed with six wonderful children: Kathleen, Mary Jo, Larry, Christine, Diane, and Theresa. Leo and Mary shared both work and parenting duties as he worked first shift at Park Davis and she would head out for her second shift job at Bell Telephone in Holland after their family was able to enjoy dinner together in between the two shifts. The family was able to build many joyous memories together; whether it was making homemade wine, with the children delighting in smashing the grapes, or going on vacation in northern Michigan to places like Alpena, Boyne, Traverse City, Tahquamenon Falls or Mackinac Island, their family life was a perfect balance between hard work and good old family fun!

Mary enjoyed many things that enriched her life. She enjoyed watching movies, especially westerns and musicals. And she could be heard singing the latest ditty and the old favorites whenever she was working around the house or garden. She loved cooking and baking and was famous for her cream-filled yeast coffee cake with strudel topping. She was also a talented seamstress and made many clothes for her children. She even went on to sew wedding dresses and bridesmaids dresses for her daughters’ weddings. After their children were grown, Mary and Leo took turns hosting a fun-filled evening with friends where they would eat a wonderful dinner and then spend hours playing cards. After Leo retired at the age of 62 and Mary retired from Bell Telephone after more than 25 years of service, the empty nesters took a month long trip to California to visit some relatives. Her Catholic faith was a constant cornerstone in Mary’s life and provided many volunteer opportunities that Mary took advantage of as longtime member at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. She also volunteered at the Dunes Correctional Facility in Saugatuck, Michigan.

Mary was blessed to have the enduring love of her husband Leo, who took to heart his wedding vows spoken many years earlier as he tended to his wife in their home for over ten years while she slipped inexorably into the grip of Alzheimer’s. When she needed more care than he could provide, Mary moved to the Lighthouse at Oakcrest Manor where she would spend the remainder of her days.

Mary Kelly was a woman with a solid faith who lived that faith for all to see through her constant love and sacrifice for others, especially her children and grandchildren. She was so thankful to see such a legacy come forth from a simple blind date so many years ago. Mary was a beloved sister, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who will be deeply missed by all those she leaves behind.

Mary F. Kelly, of Douglas-Holland died on Saturday, November 22, 2008 at Oak Crest Nursing Manor, the Lighthouse Building. Her family includes her children: Kathleen (James) Dettling of Howell, Mary (Dennis) Duffey of Douglas, Larry (Olga) Kelly of Zeeland, Christine Kelly of Saugatuck, Diane (Kim) Slayer of Glenn, Theresa (Dan) Hoerig of Ganges; 16 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; sister Ruth Plocharczyk of Canton, brother Donald (Helen) Anderson of Holland, sister Jo Price of Wisconsin, sister Donna Anderson of Brighton, sister in law Virginia Moore of Holt; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years Leo Kelly in 2004. Services will be at11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 25, 2008 at St. Peters Catholic Church in Douglas MI with Father Ron Turcich officiating. Burial will be in Douglas Cemetery.

Visitation will be at the Church Tuesday from 10:00 am until the time of service, and also after the funeral mass for a time of food and fellowship. Please visit Mary’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to Women in Transition or SADS Foundation.