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Mary Sinclair Obituary
Mary P. Sinclair, a longtime resident of Midland, passed away peacefully in Northampton, Mass., on Friday, Jan. 14, 2011, after a brief illness.
Born Mary Jean Palcich, Sept. 23, 1918, in Chisholm, Minn., the daughter of Joseph Palcich and Margaret Sterle, she was valedictorian of her high school class, and a graduate of the College of St. Catherine's in St Paul, Minn. After college, she worked as a teacher, a librarian at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and technical researcher for The Dow Chemical Co.
Mary married William Sinclair on Sept. 27, 1945, and upon his graduation from Georgetown University Law School, came to his hometown of Midland to settle and raise a family. Mary was very active in the community, and was farsighted as an advocate of renewable and sustainable energy, for which she became nationally known.
Mary lectured and taught at the University of Michigan, where she earned a doctorate in Environmental Communications at the age of 75. She deeply loved spending time with her family exploring the Great Lakes waterways by sail, and was never happier than when she was swimming in the cold water of the northern lakes.
Mary is survived by her sons, John (Elizabeth) Sinclair of Twisp, Wash., Peter (Sandra Collinson) Sinclair of Midland, and Thomas (Elizabeth) Sinclair of Littleton, Colo.; daughters, Rose Sinclair (Jon Bekoff) of Greenfield, Mass., and Ann Sinclair of Frankfort; grandchildren, Katie Sinclair, John William Sinclair, Brendan Sinclair, and Shaylyn Sinclair; and great-grandson, Maverick John Taylor. Mary was preceded in death by her husband, William; granddaughter, Kailey; sisters, Mildred, Anne, and Margaret; and brothers, Stan, and Joe; as well as their spouses; and nephew, Stanley.
A funeral liturgy will be held on Friday, Jan. 21, 2011, 10 a.m., at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, with Father Pete Gaspeny officiating. The family will receive friends at Smith-Miner Funeral Home, 2700 W. Wackerly, on Thursday, from 4-7 p.m., and at the church on Friday from 9 a.m. until the time of the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, 3860 N. Long Lake Rd, Traverse City, MI 49684, or http://www.gtrlc.org/ Online condolences can be given at smithminer.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Mary Sinclair
Joyce Brandt
January 23, 2011
My best friend and my daughter worked along with me for Mary and Bill.We cleaned for her and she treated us as family and we love her still
Valerie Larr
January 23, 2011
I cleaned for Mary and Bill for years and had the opportunity to meet her children and experience Mary's heart and humor.I loved her and will always think of her.
Christine Daniels
January 21, 2011
Despite never having had the opportunmity to meet Mary, she has remained a woman I have admired for many years. Every Midland resident owes her a huge debt of gratitude. Her light will shine on from here and into eternity.
My deepest condolances to her family.
Jim McCutchen
January 20, 2011
Tom - please accept my condolences for your loss. Be well.
Eric Kemmer
January 20, 2011
Mary was amoung the most courageous people I have ever known and was an enormous influence on my life. Peace be with you to all who loved her.
Patricia warren
January 20, 2011
Oh No !
Mary was such a friend to all and use much of her time to research the Atomic Power Plant in Midland. That is where I met her. I signed the banner and was moved by the strength that one women could give. This started me on a new path. We loved her so much. She was just herself and NEVER expected anything else for her time and her much troubles from the Right and the Left.
Her life was threatened as well as her families. She never paused from her beliefs. No one bought her. She never paid monies for any of her fame. SHE WAS JUST MARY.
Ron Kyhos
January 18, 2011
A message to Pete. I am very sorry to learn of your mother's passing. My best to you, your sisters, and your family.
Hugh McDiarmid Jr.
January 18, 2011
An inspiration, she surely was. And her work and passion live on in so many ways. Warmest thoughts to Mary's family in this difficult time.
Mark Richardson
January 18, 2011
I had the honor to meet Mary when I interviewed her for an environmental law paper I was writing. I was impressed by her extraordinary intelligence and her fidelity to the truth. She became a role model for me. May she rest in peace having fought the good fight.
Frank & Robin Zukiewicz
January 18, 2011
We wish to extend our heart felt sorrow in the passing of Mary P. Sinclair. Mary was an inspiration to all environmentalists young and old.She provided strength,courage, and moral correctness to address the wrongs being done to Mother Nature our only home.Mary will be in our prayers and never forgotten, a rare and compassionate friend of the earth.
Ann Hunt
January 17, 2011
Mary was always one of my heros because of her activism, her humanity, her faith in people to do what was right dispite the odds. Working with Mary over the past decades is one of the memories I'll always treasure. But the work she was always the most proud of was her children and their unique talents. Her legacies will live on.
Mary Kay (Kole) Kralapp
January 17, 2011
Rose and family,
I am so sorry for your loss. Your mother was an incredible inspiration to many of us. You will, I know, treasure your times together and the spirit of family that she gave each of you.
Teresa Roberts Davis
January 17, 2011
My heroine. This woman of such quiet strength and ethics was a huge inspiration and role model to me. I remember how she haulted the completion of Dow's nuclear power plant. She visited my husband and me just after we were married, out in Los Angeles, and we went out to dinner with her. I send out my sympathy to my dear childhood friend Rose and all her siblings.
Russell Lowes
January 16, 2011
I knew about Mary's anti-nuclear work in the mid-1970s, and corresponded with her in the late 70s. She was a great resource and a great person. And she was one of the many activists that were crucial to the successes of the first anti-commercial nuke movement. Sorry for the loss of this fine community activist.
From Tucson, a place of too much grief right now,
Anne Woiwode
January 16, 2011
Michigan owes Mary Sinclair a debt of gratitude for her extraordinary strength and vision. My sincere condolences to the Sinclair family.
Diane D'Arrigo
January 15, 2011
Mary had a magic and a power...she inspired me, taught me, challenged me and showed many of us how to win for the earth, water, future. Let's win some more important victories this year against nuclear and for the Great Lakes in her memory. Love and sympathy to Mary's family and to all of us who knew and struggled together with her.
Diane D'Arrigo, Nuclear Information and Resource Service, Washington DC
Dale Gorm
January 15, 2011
Pete, Sorry to hear about your Mother, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family
Ann Sinclair
January 15, 2011
My mother was a Force of Nature. Unnerved in the face of powerful corporate wrath, she persevered to match fact against myth. Her power came from deep within, fueled by intelligence, discipline, and courage. Her mission was not to thwart progress, rather to impart reality into our collective decision making, and to assign responsibility to those imposing their personal agenda on the will of the people, and lying to do so. Our family sacrificed much for Mary's efforts, but her facts were solid and we supported her the whole way, even when it grew dark and hostile in our own community. Mary touched many lives, and we honor her for her gift to us all. Long Live Mary
Terry Lodge
January 15, 2011
I met Mary 20 years ago in one of the first great tests for Don't Waste Michigan, when there were two competing groups in the Thumb which were opposed to the low-level radioactive waste dump. It was a wonderful honor, as I knew her as perhaps the key figure in the opposition to the Midland nuclear power plants. Gracious and intelligent, she demonstrated how one may make of one's life a continuous learning and leadership example. It was an honor to be part of a movement that she so remarkably and heroically - a lost term, reserved for the likes of Mary - served.
Jacklyn Lee
January 15, 2011
You have my sincere condolences for your loss. I am sure that you must be very proud of the important work she did. She did the right thing, against incredible challenges, and was an inspiration to me as a young woman.
Monique Smith
January 15, 2011
Mary was a wonderful an kind hearted person. I remember when she was voted one of the top women of People magazine and she met Cyndi Lauper. She got Cyndis autograph for me
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