Mary I. Cleary

CLEARY---Mary Irene (Donka) Cleary passed away peacefully October 16, 2017, in Wixom, Michigan. Mary was a devoted mother and wife who was born in Highland Park, Michigan, on August 4, 1927 to Louis Donka and his wife, Elizabeth (Toth), Romanian immigrants who came to America to find the dream their children ultimately lived. After graduating from Northeastern High School in Detroit in 1945, Mary worked hard to support the post-war efforts in the United States and married Thomas J. Cleary III on November 23, 1950. In the years to follow they often laughed about the snowstorm that forced them to spend their honeymoon in Niles, Michigan, as a blizzard made the road to Chicago impassable. Later in life, Mary and Tom traveled extensively through the United States and finally realized their dream of going to Ireland in October of 1990, departing just two days after the birth of their first grandchild. Despite the demands of raising four children, Mary worked frequently during her marriage at companies such as Firestone, Ford Motor Company and Detroit Edison (from where she retired after years of meritorious service) and also worked as a secretary at Southgate High School, a few blocks from the home where she and Tom raised their family from 1955 until 1984. Mary was a proud college graduate, completing her course work at age 64. After that, Mary spent her retirement in Novi, where she lived until a short time before her passing. Mary was preceded in death by her parents and her only sister, Elizabeth Berry, and is survived by her four children, Kristine, of Los Angeles, California, Thomas, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Patrick, of Wixom and Colleen (Dr. Lawrence) McMaster of Novi. She also leaves six loving grandchildren, Natalie, Brenna, Connor and Tara Cleary, and Thomas and Katie McMaster, as well as her two special loving nieces, Pamela (Jim) Leslie and Dana (Patrick) Sullivan. In addition to scores of lifelong friends from numerous Catholic parishes in metropolitan Detroit and co-workers, Mary’s life was blessed by her many Romanian-American family members. Her parish from the old Neighborhood, St. John The Baptist (Romanian Byzantine), especially Sister Theresa Koernke of the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Monroe, Michigan, and Florence and Ernest Nolan of Northville and their children Ernie and Marie. Visitation 2-8 pm Thursday, October 19, at O’Brien/Sullivan Funeral Home 41555 Grand River Novi 248 348 1800, with a Mass of Catholic Burial Friday, October 20, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Family Church 24505 Meadowbrook Rd. Novi. Mary’s family would like to gratefully thank her caregivers for their efforts and loving assistance during the final years of her wonderful life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Capuchin Food Kitchenclick here to contribute

Mary I. Cleary

August 4, 1927 - October 16, 2017