Mary Ann Maloney-McGrath

MARY ANN MALONEY-MCGRATH, 83, of Traverse City, passed away Friday, June 12, 2015. Mary Ann was born on April 2, 1932, in Pontiac, to the late Bertram and Catherine (Goodspeed) Sweeney. Mary Ann was the kindest, gentlest and friendliest of souls and was deeply loved by her many family and friends. She cherished spending time with her children and grandchildren; the scores of pictures she displayed throughout her home attest to the great love and joy she felt for them. Mary Ann loved to sew. She delighted in making dresses for her many daughters and granddaughters; she even sewed beautiful bridal gowns and bridesmaids’ dresses for her daughters’ weddings. Though she became a snowbird in her “silver years”, Mary Ann was always a Mancelona girl at heart. She loved Northern Michigan, where many of her family members made their homes and where she, herself, returned every spring. To call Mary Ann passionate about her Irish roots would be an understatement. She was a life-long enthusiast of Irish music, musicians and culture, having attended many a festival throughout the Midwest with her husband, Pat McGrath and always seeking the little out-of-the-way venues where fiddle and pipe resounded. She traveled many times to the Emerald Isle and exchanged wedding vows with Pat in the village of Sneem. Mary Ann lived and breathed céad míle fáilte. Mary Ann was long-time parishioner of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Northville, MI, where her children were schooled and received their sacraments, and where Mary Ann also served as a catechism teacher. She was a person of profound and joyful faith. Surviving Mary Ann is her husband, Timothy James “Pat” McGrath; children, Carol Tuz, Richard (Kerry) Alspaugh, Jon (Erica) Alspaugh, Sharon (Frank) Bustamante, Mary Kay Alspaugh, Martha (David) Wilson; grandchildren Kevin and Patrick Tuz, Jessica and Sarah Alspaugh, Jacob and Andrew Alspaugh, Emily Bougher and David Patterson, Kimberly and Dana Bustamante, Caitlin and Sam Wilson, Madeline Cutler; five great-grandchildren; siblings, James Patrick (Marie) Sweeney, Alice Councilor, Catherine Wills; and many other loving family members and friends. Mary Ann is preceded in death by her parents, husbands Richard Alspaugh and Eugene Maloney, and brother Jack Sweeney. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11 a.m., with visitation from 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 16, at St. Francis Catholic Church. The interment will take place at the St. Aloysius Cemetery in Fife Lake. Memorial contributions in Mary Ann’s name will be directed to Munson Hospice. Kindly share any thoughts or memories of Mary Ann at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com. The family is being cared for by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home.

Mary Ann Maloney-McGrath

April 2, 1932 - June 12, 2015