Mary Alice Cobb

Mary Alice (Franks) Cobb, departed this world on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, at the age of 83, in St. Johns, Michigan surrounded by family. A funeral service to honor and celebrate her life will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, January 4, 2025 at Watkins Brothers Funeral Homes, 214 S. Main St., Perry, MI 48872. Pastor Joshua Cowan will officiate the services. The family will receive friends beginning at 12:00 PM until the time of service. Interment immediately following at Roselawn Cemetery, Perry.
Born on November 14, 1941, in Grayling, Michigan, to the late Harley Ambrose and Alice Almira (Rowley) Franks, Mary's life was a testament to the power of thoughtfulness and dedication to family.
A proud graduate of Sexton High School, Class of 1959. Mary's love story began when she met her main man at a dance in Holt, Michigan, she remarked she loved his hairy chest. She married her beloved husband, Alan Cobb, on October 14, 1960 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lansing, Michigan. Together, they built a life full of love and laughter-a bond that remained unbroken for 31 years until Alan's passing in 1991.
Mary loved being a dairy farmer wife, she and Alan ran the Cobb Farm in Perry until they moved to St. Johns in 1966. Every Thursday and Sunday she abandoned her children to go play Bingo with her parents and sisters at the Elks Lodge.
Mary's heart was always fullest when surrounded by her family. She was a loving matriarch to her children, TyAnn (Gary) Ripley, GayAnn (Bert) Reynolds, Rebecca Alice (Kurt Wright) Summey, Rosemary (Dan) Erickson, Joel Alan (Melissa) Cobb, and Jane Alma (Joshua) Cowan. Her legacy continues through her thirteen grandchildren, Bradley Poxson, Erin (Jake) Meek, Alexander (Bridget) Erickson, Stephen Reynolds, Maran Summey, Aaron Reynolds, Samuel Erickson, Mary Reynolds, Mara Cobb, Jaime Cobb, Joshua Cowan, Jr., Julianna Cowan, Jocelyn Cowan; and three great-grandchildren, Elliott and Nolan Meek and Baby Boy Erickson; and several nieces and nephews. Her favorite times were the family vacations at "Camp Cobb" and "Cobb Craft Weekend".
In addition to her parents and husband, Mary was preceded in death by her siblings, Thomas (Wanda) Franks, Phyllis (Don) Hamaker, and Virginia (Don) Wilbur; inlaws, Donald and Dorothy (Dunn) Cobb, Benjamin and Marjorie (Cobb) Bucell, nephew, Daniel Bucell, and niece, Caryl (Bucell) Docherty.
Those who knew Mary will remember her for her love of holsteins, Bingo, crossword puzzles, Pat Boone and all things NCIS. She performed as Succotash the Clown, was a member of the US-12 and Nipissing Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution and spent many hours and reams of paper researching genealogy. She attended and was a faithful member of the Pilgrim Global Methodist Church of St. Johns. She was a 4-H leader for many years and worked as a house mother at Hillsdale College. She also worked at Meijers for twenty years.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Hazel Findlay for their compassionate care and the nurses of Compassus and Corewell for the guidance and support offered on her final journey.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Alan Cobb Dairy Achievement Award, Clinton County 4-H, 100 E. State St., Suite G-100, St. Johns, MI 48879, C/O Carissa Harris 989-224-5227.
Online condolences may be shared at www.watkinsfuneralhomes.com.