Mary Catherine Marker was born in Detroit on February 15, 1944 to Albert and Mary Angela (Sheedy) McGillis. She died on August 13, 2024, in Livonia, Michigan. Mary graduated from St. Francis High School as valedictorian in 1962 and later received her degree in nursing from Mercy College. After working many years as an occupational nurse for Ford Motor Company, she transitioned to hospital administration. She retired from Detroit Receiving Hospital as the Director of Quality Assurance in 2013.
Mary was an avid reader and she put her extensive vocabulary to use with crossword puzzles. When she was able, she often traveled across metro Detroit to visit with her children and grandchildren. She had a great sense of humor and an infectious laugh, and she couldn't resist a vanilla sundae. She never turned down the opportunity to play a board game and though she was an honest soul who fiercely defended her family, she was known to cheat at cards a time or two.
Mary is survived by children Catherine (S. Jeffrey) Dials, Joseph (Ellen) Elliott, Melissa (Zeus Brukley) Elliott, Margaret (David) Whitaker, Mary (Richard) Pegler; grandchildren Milinda (Jozef) Mcdiamid, Janice Dials, Joshua Logan Dials, Shane (Susan) Dials, Jackson (Megan Burke) Elliott, Melanie Elliott, Ulysses Brukley, Sean Whitaker, Connor Whitaker, Aidan Whitaker, and Mitchell (Makayla Dufek) Pegler; 7 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild; siblings Randy (Vivian) McGillis, and Pat (Joe) Baumgarten.
Visitation will be held at Schrader-Howell Funeral Home, 280 South Main Street, Plymouth, Michigan on Friday, August 16 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. with a short service at 3:30 p.m.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
280 S. Main St., Plymouth, MI 48170

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