Mary Margaret Ross

Mary Margaret Ross was born March 28, 1931 in Northern Cambria Pennsylvania.

Mary's parents were Michael Merise & Sue (Salley) Merise who were first generation Americans.

Mary's grandparents were Slovak & Austrian. Mary's father (Michael) was a coal miner and & her mother (Sue) was a cook.

Mary was the third daughter of four to Michael and Sue Merise. Mary's sisters are Flora, Mildred & Virginia.

Mary came from very humble beginnings to say the least. The family survived on a lot of potato's and what ever her mother could manage to bring home from the restaurant that she worked at. Mary's father Michael was frequently ill due to his work as a coal miner.

When Mary's oldest sister Flora married and moved to Michigan, Mary was forced to leave High School at the age of fifteen to work in the Shirt Factory to help support her family. The only problem was you had to be sixteen to work at the factory so her mother Sue made an easy change to Mary's birth certificate making the one on 1931 into a zero to show 1930.

After several years of working in the Shirt Factory, Mary followed her oldest sister Flora and her husband Frank to Michigan where Frank got her a job at Federal Mogul. It was there that she would meet her future husband Daniel Ross.

After dating for a while, Mary and Dan decided to get married on July 6, 1957. They purchased their first house in Hazel Park and eleven months later had their first and only child Donald.

As with any relationship you have to navigate through difficult times. Mary and Dan both lost their jobs of twenty plus years and their retirement when their company relocated to down south. This happened right when they were building a new home and Donald was just starting High School. Mary told Dan not to worry. This will all work out.

Mary got a job at Parke Davis Pharmaceutical in Detroit and later transferred to the Rochester location where she would retire at the age of 62. While working at Parke Davis, Mary always felt bad about not graduating from High School so she went back and got her diploma. Mary could actually say she was in High School the same time her son Donald was in High School. At High School Mary would meet Nan Wagner and the two became friends for the next forty-five years.

Mary and Dan were happily married for 38 years before Dan's passing in 1996. Mary, being the strong independent woman that she was carried on with life, never missing a beat.

Mary spent time with her three grandchildren Ian, Meggie & Taylor, her work friends and her Commonwealth friends. Mary filled her week with bowling, golf, movie day, shopping at Lord & Taylor and Commonwealth night. Mary always seemed to have more friends then time. Mary was always busy with functions to go to. Mary loved to have a good party and with a good party comes a good glass of Merlot, dancing and laughter.

Like all grandparents, Mary was very proud of her grandchildren and for what they had accomplished individually. Each grandchild was a success in her eyes.

Mary was so happy to witness Meggie's marriage to Dan and was looking forward to this September 7th for Ian and Sara's wedding. Mary also hoped to see Taylor, her youngest granddaughter graduate from College in 2019.

As the early years of Mary's life were difficult, so too were the last twenty months. Dementia is a horrible disease that robs your identity but Mary's personality, love and strong work ethic left an impression that couldn't be erased by those last twenty months leaving each and everyone of us with the Mary We Loved and Remembered.

A Celebration of Life Mass will be held on May 11, 2018. SS Cyril & Methodius Slovak Catholic Church

41233 Ryan Road. Sterling Heights, Mi. 48314. Gathering time of 11:00 am with Mass starting at Noon.

Please join us immediately following the Mass for a Celebration Luncheon. The luncheon will take place at the Kilgour Scottish Centre 2363 Rochester Rd. Troy, Mi. 48083.