Mary Katheryne Zelenock

Mary Katheryne Blaesser Zelenock, beloved mother, grandmother, wife, sister, daughter, and friend died on March 31, 2011 after a brief but vigorous fight against cancer. To know her was to love her. Mary Kate touched every person who was lucky enough to meet her; for those closest to her - the luckiest ones - she was and will always be the anchor, the lighthouse, and the trumpet of our lives. Her astonishing outer beauty was outshined only by the pure beauty and gentleness that existed inside of her. Hers was a special brand of magic: she was the strongest, deepest, and most loving human being any of us ever knew. Mary Kate was born in Lansing, Michigan on August 29, 1947 to the late Karl Hamilton and Helen Anne Blaesser and was the third oldest of nine children. She graduated from St. Mary's of Redford High School, married her high school sweetheart, and graduated from the University of Michigan while raising five children and supporting her husband through medical school. She has lived in Ann Arbor and on Walloon Lake for the majority of her life, a life that she completely devoted to love and family. There are no words to capture all that she was to so many people, but one of her favorite quotes provides a glimpse: To laugh often and much/To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children/To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends/To appreciate beauty/To find the best in others/To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition/To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived/This is to have succeeded. Mary Kate is survived by her husband of nearly 45 years, Dr. Jay Zelenock; daughter Kathy and her son William, son Jay, daughter Patricia, son-in-law Jeff Henkel, and their four children Matthew, Samantha, Caroline, and Madelyn; daughter Jennifer, son-in-law Bob Williams, and their three children Jack, Luke, and Calvin; daughter Emily; eight siblings and their families; countless friends and loved ones. Visitation will be held at Muehlig Funeral Chapel, 403 South Fourth Avenue, Ann Arbor, Sunday, April 3rd from 4-8 p.m. A funeral Mass and celebration of Mary Kate's life will be held at St. Mary's Student Parish, 331 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor on Monday, April 4, at 11 a.m., with a reception immediately following at the Michigan League, 911 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor. In lieu of flowers, Mary Kate's family has established the Mary Kate Zelenock Endowed Memorial Scholarship, which will benefit the education of exceptional young women who are raising children while earning their college degree. Donations to the Scholarship may be sent c/o The University of Michigan, 500 South State Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1382.