Mary Czeszewski

Although her life was enriched in so many ways, there was nothing that Mary Czeszewski treasured more than being a mother to her son, Scott. She was an independent, hardworking, and courageous woman whose quiet strength was such an inspiration. Life was not always easy for Mary, but she never let things get the best of her and did whatever needed to be done without losing her positive outlook. She was gracious, humble, and kindhearted, but she could be stubborn at times when it came to something she was passionate about. A deeply loved woman, Mary will be forever missed but never forgotten.

The 1930s were some of the most trying days we have faced as a nation due to the unrelenting grip of the Great Depression. Jobs were scarce, the unemployment rate soared, and people were left to do whatever they could to make ends meet. As the decade was drawing to a close in 1939, there were new trials looming on the horizon as WWII officially began overseas. It was during this volatile time that Stanley and Eleanor Rubin were pleased to announce the birth of their daughter, Mary, on May 29, 1939. She was one of six children in her family and was raised alongside her siblings, Ron “Sonny”, Gloria, Judie, Frank, and Kathy. Mary’s father worked as a general laborer while her mother was a factory worker.

In many ways Mary experienced an upbringing that was fairly typical for the youth of her generation. The Rubin family was not immune to the challenges of the times, which meant that there was little money to go around. More humble beginnings affected Mary in both positive and negative ways as it was through this experience that she became a very frugal person for the rest of her life. She was playful and also very protective of her siblings as well. Mary left school after completing the eighth grade, which was not uncommon during this time, as she needed to take on the responsibility of helping provide for the family. This was not the only time Mary faced challenges throughout her life, but each challenge only made her stronger.

New and exciting changes were in store for Mary when she met the young man who would forever change the course of her life. His name was Harry Czeszewski, and it wasn’t long after meeting that the couple found themselves deeply in love. With a desire to spend the rest of their lives together, Mary and Harry were married on August 20, 1960, in a traditional Polish wedding ceremony at St. Francis D’Assisi Church in Detroit. It was a night to remember as there was more than enough Polish food and music to go around and plenty of laughter and love, too. The happy couple was surrounded by numerous family and friends on their special day.

Even though Mary was told by a doctor that she would never be able to have children, imagine her delight upon discovering that she was, in fact, expecting 10 years later! She and Harry were filled with unspeakable joy to welcome their son, Scott, into their hearts and home. Life greatly changed for Mary, her husband, and their son when her husband suffered a major stroke when Scott was only six. This thrusted her into the role of being the head of household in addition to caring for her son and assisting her husband in his stroke recovery. Mary strived to provide her son with a good life filled with opportunities that she never had as a young girl. She was deeply saddened with Harry’s death in October of 1991.

In addition to caring for her family, Mary worked outside the home. During her younger years she worked in a local factory, but the bulk of her career was spent working in real estate publishing for over 20 years. Mary took great pride in her work and spent the majority of her years in publishing as a supervisor.

Over the years Mary was a woman of many interests. When she was younger she was an avid bowler and also loved going to the lake. As she got older Mary got into metal detecting and actively worked out. When relaxing at home she could often be found reading, doing jigsaw puzzles, or watching Bob Ross painting episodes on television. Mary took advantage of vacations spent visiting with her siblings whenever she could as they were spread out all over the United States.

All who knew Mary would agree that she was truly extraordinary. During her younger years she was more outgoing and had a fun-loving personality. Although she had a strong personality, she became more reserved and mellow as she got older. Her inner strength was a huge asset as she had her own challenges to face as she struggled with epilepsy as a result of a car accident when she was in her twenties. This strength also came into play when she didn’t back away from standing up for what was right. Mary’s determination was complimented perfectly by her caring and nurturing spirit.

With a life that spanned times of great change in the world around her, Mary Czeszewski was a blessing to all who were within her reach. She was open minded and nonjudgmental with unconditional love extended toward everyone. Mary has been described as a survivor who was strong, hard working, and determined to remain content in whatever life brought. Her legacy will be forever remembered.

Mary A. Czeszewski passed away July 28, 2014 at the age of 75. Beloved wife of the late Harry. Loving mother of Scott. Dearest sister of Ron "Sonny", Gloria, Judie, Frank and Kathy. Mary is also survived by her loving nieces and nephews. Visitation Friday 2-9pm with an evening prayer at our Neely-Turowski Life Story Funeral Home; 30200 Five Mile Rd (between Merriman and Middlebelt), Livonia, MI 48154. Funeral Saturday 11:00am (in state 10am) at the funeral home. Please sign the guest book and share a memory online at: www.TurowskiLifeStory.com