Mary Meredith

Upbeat and bubbly, Mary Meredith always had a smile on her face, and her heartfelt joy in life brightened the lives of everyone around her. A true people person, Mary made friends easily, and had endless compassion and concern for the people in her life. Although Mary faced her share of challenges, her strength and courage in the face of adversity were steadfast. A beloved wife, mother, daughter, aunt, and friend, Mary lived a life of joy, compassion, and love: a life lived to the fullest, and an inspiration to those she leaves behind.

The 1950s were a decade of peace and prosperity in the United States, a time when the nation celebrated a return to normalcy after the privations of World War II. Mary was born towards the end of this optimistic decade, on January 28, 1958, and shared her birth year with the formation of NASA, the invention of the microchip, and the first sales of the Hula-hoop.

Mary’s proud parents, Carl and Dolores Frasier, brought the newest member of their family home from Mt. Carmel Mercy Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. Mary was one of three children, and grew up with siblings Anne Marie and William. Carl supported his growing family by working in production control at Chrysler, while Dolores worked at General Motors (later becoming a homemaker). Mary lived a happy childhood in Detroit and nearby Redford Township, Michigan. One of her favorite memories from those early years was of carefree hours spent jumping into piles of freshly raked leaves with her cousins and the family dog, Buttons.

The years went by, and before she knew it Mary had grown into a beautiful and personable young woman. She made many friends at high school, and belonged to both teen and young adult clubs. Although Mary was generally a good student, she was known to occasionally cut class with her cousin (her excuse was that she didn’t like history)! On the weekends, Mary was always game for a Sock Hop dance. She even had a high school sweetheart – a romance with her brother’s good friend, Ed.

After graduating from Redford Union High School, Mary went on to Schoolcraft College. Once her student years were behind her, she was hired at an insurance company, where she worked as a secretary. Mary was also an Avon lady for 25 years, and sold Avon products with her sister.

One fateful day, Mary’s friends set her up on a blind date with a certain John Meredith. Mary and John arranged to go to a Beatles impersonation concert, and the rest is history. The two soon realized they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, and were married on February 17, 1996, at St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Monastery.

Mary and John became parents on October 17, 2000, with the birth of their son, Michael Carl. Mary was thrilled to be a mother, and would look back on this day as the greatest day of her life. Once Michael was old enough for elementary, Mary became a lunch mother at his school. She supported him in all of his activities, and was the biggest fan at his Little League baseball games. Mary had a big heart, and in addition to caring for her husband and her son, her door was always open to stray dogs and cats in the neighborhood. Most recently, she had a devoted dog, Jasmine, who was always by her side or on her lap.

In her free time, Mary loved dancing and listening to dance music. She was very knowledgeable about cars, and enjoyed attending car events such as the Woodward Dream Cruise, which she went to every summer with her husband. Mary also enjoyed bingo, bowling, and cheering on her favorite teams, the Detroit Tigers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Memorable vacations for the Meredith family included a trip to Disney World and an animal safari in Canada. Closer to home, holiday gatherings with family had a special place in Mary’s heart. Mary also loved Angels and had a special collection of them.

Joyful, compassionate, and caring, Mary was a devoted wife, a loving mother, cherished aunt, and a loyal friend. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her many friends and family members.

Mrs. Mary Frances Meredith died on December 5, 2013, at the age of 55. Mary’s family includes her husband, John; her son, Michael Carl Meredith; her sister, Anne Marie (George) Duffourc; her brother, William Frasier; five nephews; and two nieces.

Friends are invited to join the family for visitation from 5 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, with Rosary at 7 p.m., at the Neely-Turowski Life Story Funeral Home, 30200 Five Mile (between Middlebelt and Merriman). Mary will lie in repose Wednesday from 10:15 a.m. until the time of the Mass of the Resurrection at 11 a.m. at St. Genevieve Catholic Church in Livonia. Interment will be in Parkview Memorial Cemetery. Contributions may be made to a no-kill animal shelter, St. Jude Hospital, or the Capuchin Soup Kitchen. You may sign the guest book prior to arriving at the funeral home at www.TurowskiLifeStory.com.