Mary Kujawa

Mary Kujawa of Livonia passed away December 28, 2025 at the age of 102. She was born March 7, 1923 in Gaylord, Michigan to Ignatius and Stella Jaruzel.

Beloved wife of the late Joseph.

Loving mother of Thomas (Mary) Kujawa, Carol (the late Donald) Ferguson, the late Robert Kujawa, Joan (the late Bruce) Stephens, William (the late Darlene) Kujawa, Christine (David) Slater, Joseph (Elizabeth) Kujawa, and Donna Kujawa.

Dearest grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother of many.

Dear sister of Anna Jaruzel. Sister-in-law of Anthony Dreffs. Mary was predeceased by her siblings Mack, Louie, Walter, Cecilia, Josephine, Frances, Julia, Theresa, and Agnes; her granddaughter Amy Ferguson; and her great-grandson Carter Howell.

With a sad heart I say "goodbye for now " to my Grandma Mary (3/7/1923-12/28/2025). For more than 102 years she witnessed history, growing up during the Great Depression, riveting & bucking nacelle for aircraft engines during WWII; dancing to the great swing bands of Duke Ellington & Count Basie (& others) at the dance halls of NY, then raising a large family and surviving Y2K and COVID-19.

She was very devout in her Catholicism, inspiring a love for the holy trinity & empowering through prayer. Christmas's at Grandma Mary's house were epic when I was a child: the food, music, chaos, & midnight mass.

They lasted into the wee hours of the morning with loud polka music & smoky card games after mass, causing first delight over staying up way past bedtime then great distress over getting home before Santa.

Grandma Mary taught me work ethic through my mother. Together they would clean, cook, & can. I learned how to climb trees in her orchard picking apples, peaches, pears, & cherries. Then, she & mom taught me how to turn the fruit (berries too) into scrumptious pies.

My favorite times spent with Grandma Mary were driving her to MN for various holidays and sitting on her porch sipping lemonade with her in the summer when I first began teaching. That time alone with her was when I heard stories about her best friend, her life on the farm, and how she met Grandpa.

In 2022, I honored Grandma Mary's kindness, humility, beauty & hard work by immortalizing her in the Library of Congress as a Rosie the Riveter.

The road has been long, and Grandma Mary accomplished much; now, may she rest in peace.

Visitation Sunday, January 4, 2026 from 3-8 pm with a Rosary at 7 pm at Neely-Turowski Funeral Home, 30200 Five Mile Rd., Livonia, Michigan 48154.

Instate Monday, January 5, 2026 from 10:30 am until time of Mass at 11 am at St. Genevieve - St. Maurice Catholic Church, 29015 Jamison St. Livonia, MI 48154.

Interment will take place at Mt. Hope Memorial Gardens, Livonia, Michigan.

In lieu of flowers, Memorial contributions may be directed to St. Vincent de Paul or Father Solanus Casey.