Mary Lucille Anderson

Mary Sulgrove Anderson of Kalamazoo, MI. Passed away Thursday morning, November 21, 2013 at the Upjohn Community Care Center, after a brief illness. Mary was born in Greenfield, Iowa on November 26, 1912 to Blanche and Byron Sulgrove. She married Earl “Andy” Anderson in 1935. They were happily married for 56 years. Mary is survived by her children; Miriam (Dave) Shannon of Galesburg, Larry (Susan) Anderson of Battle Creek, and Karen (Art) West near Leesburg, Florida; grandchildren Lisa (Randy) George, Patty Shannon, Steve (Liz) Anderson, Jill (Matt) Pyatt, Allan (Jane) West, and Anne West; five great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Andy in 1991, and her sister Cathryn Kapfer in 2012. Mary graduated from Iowa State College (now Iowa State University), with a degree in Home Economics in 1932. She was recognized with membership in Omicron Nu and Phi Kappa Phi. Andy's career took them to Grinnell, Cleveland, Chicago, and the Detroit suburbs. Mary was a homemaker, raising their three children until they were in school. Then she taught at a junior and senior high school in Hinsdale, Illinois, and later in Grosse Ile and Trenton, Michigan. She wrote a home economics column for farm wives in the Republic Steel Farm Spokesman and later in the Farm Quarterly. In 1972, upon Mary’s retirement from teaching, they moved from Michigan to Parker, Colorado, where they enjoyed retirement in a home of their own design. In 1991, they returned to Michigan to live at Wyndham retirement apartments in Kalamazoo, where Mary was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. Mary lived at Heritage Senior Community for more than 20 years; first at Wyndham Senior apartments, Director’s Hall assisted living center, and finally at Upjohn care center. The staff enjoyed interacting with Mary because of her loving spirit, quick wit and ever-present smile. In the fall of 1999 Mary was feted as a fifty-year member of P.E.O. by her Kalamazoo P.E.O. chapter DI. Mary's life has been one of service, love, and compassion, and those fortunate to know her saw the joy that sprang from her faith in God. A memorial service is planned for Friday, December 6 at 2:00 pm at Wyndham’s Heritage Room. Memorials in Mary’s name may be made to P.E.O. Chapter DI, Heritage Foundation of Kalamazoo, or First Presbyterian Church of Kalamazoo. Details available from Redmond Funeral Home, 4100 S. Westnedge Ave. Kalamazoo, MI 49008 (269) 343-6156. www.redmondfuneralhomes.net