Mary Sharry

Mary Sharry, age 81, of Empire, Michigan, passed away surrounded by her family at her home
on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, after a well-fought battle with cancer.

Mary was born on December 1, 1942, in Toledo, Ohio. In 1951 Mary and her mother Mildred
moved to Detroit and then eventually to Nashville, MI, where Mary attended and graduated from
Hastings High School, in 1961. Following high school Mary attended Davenport College where
she trained in secretarial skills, including the obsolete practice of shorthand. Mary worked as a
secretary in Grand Rapids before she relocated to Detroit where she worked as executive
secretary to the editor of the Detroit Free Press, Joe Stroud. In 1970, while driving home from a
visit to Niagara Falls with her mother, Mary met, and eventually married, Jack Sharry. Mary
continued working at the Free Press until the birth of her first child, Jessica. After becoming a
mother, Mary turned her focus to the home where she raised and homeschooled both of her
children, Jessica and Gabriel, until she returned to the workforce in 1990 as a census taker and
then as relief postmaster at the Empire Post Office. In the mid-1990s Mary pursued higher
education and earned her BFA in Creative Writing from Vermont College.

In childhood Mary would often travel to Glen Lake with her parents and grandparents where
they would camp during summers at what is now known as Dorsey's on Glen Lake. In the early
1980s Mary and Jack purchased a cottage on Glen Lake where they spent summers until 1989,
when they sold their home in Northville and moved to Empire as year-round residents.

At a young age Mary developed a love of ballet. Mary danced under the tutelage of Chrystal
Case in Hastings, MI and Sally Seven of the Grand Rapids Civic Ballet. Mary danced the
principal role in a production of Swan Lake, and roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Snow
Queen in the Nutcracker. Mary's creativity extended beyond the dance floor when, in the 1980s,
she discovered talents for oil painting (particularly her land and waterscapes) and writing short
stories - some of which have been published in the Dunes Review, The Glen Arbor Sun, and in
the book Telling Stories by the Bay, Selected Writings by Members of the Fiction Writers Group
of the Elizabeth Lane Oliver Center for the Arts. Around the age of 60 Mary began studying
classical violin, and eventually joined both the Traverse Symphony Orchestra Civic Strings and
Benzie Area Symphony Orchestra.

Mary was an advocate for and passionate defender of a multitude of issues dear to her heart.
These included homeschooling, the environment, the natural world, the arts, human rights,
indigenous and minority populations, democracy, the free press and locally – the viability of the
Village of Empire as an affordable, thriving and year-round community of families and small
business alike. Mary's love of northern Michigan, and Empire specifically, ran deep.

All of Mary's endeavors were reflective of her depth. Her upbeat personality and joyful nature
preceded every interaction be it with family, friends or strangers. Though Mary has left this world
in body and is deeply missed by her children, her beloved companion Bill, and all her friends
and extended family, she lives on in the hearts and memories of all who loved her. Mary was the
family historian – a role that came naturally to her thanks to her acute powers of observation
and memory. Mary would often tell family stories in phone calls and emails. Mary was the
granddaughter of preachers on both her maternal and paternal side. Baptized twice though not
religious, Mary was deeply spiritual and often spoke of Oneness. In the spirit of Oneness let us
remember Mary in the trees, the wind, the birds, the monarchs, the big lake, music and in our
own hearts.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents Garth Morris and Mildred (Gibson) Morris, and her
former husband, Jack Sharry. She is survived by her children Jessica Sharry (Tero Valtonen)
and Gabriel Sharry, her companion William Dickinson, and many beloved cousins including
Becky (Ken) McCabe, Tina Wetzel, Bill (Conni) St. Angelo, Kalynn (Steve) Potter, Karen (Ron)
Roby, Judy (Steve) Bogard, Linda Brennan, Barbara Gardner, and Nancy Toth.

Per Mary's wishes, cremation will take place and no services will be held. Memorial
contributions in Mary's honor may be given to the Glen Lake Fire Department.