Mary Alice McGuire

McGUIRE, MARY ALICE (nee Hansen), age 81, of Clarkston, passed away September 27, 2021. She was born on October 19, 1939, in Bessemer, Michigan, daughter to the late William and Delia Hansen (nee Clement). Loving wife of Don for 62 wonderful years. Dear mother of David (Barbara) McGuire, Mary McGuire, Steven (Michelle) McGuire and Matthew McGuire; proud grandmother of Michael McGuire, Samantha (David) Auricchio, Evan McGuire, Brittany (Valerio Zambrano) McGuire, Alex (Amanda) Hawkins, Samantha (Jonny Siklich) McGuire, Allyssa McGuire and Zachary McGuire; great grandmother of Mila Rose Siklich; sister of Sue (the late H.C.) Hulett, James (the late Jake) Hansen, Carol (James) McMahon, Spencer David (Ruth) Hansen, and is preceded in death by her siblings; Bill (June) Hansen, Kay (Fred) Orr, Bob (Betty) Hansen, Cornelius Hansen and Joan Hansen. 

Mary was a trailblazer. Sitting at number 9 of 10 brothers and sisters, she was inspired by her parents and siblings to explore the world around her, forge new paths and see the world in its entirety.

She met Don, the love of her life, on a blind date. It was love at first sight and six months after that first date, they married, had four children, and raised their family, while nurturing their marriage for over 62 years. 

She cared deeply for people, especially children. Not one to shy away from those in need, she got involved with Catholic Social Services and the family began to care for infants awaiting their adoptive homes for many years. Out of concern and love for the children, she built a grassroots network to unite other foster care families so they could have a better understanding of their positions and roles. At the same time, she also served as president of the Foster Parents Council for United Community Services of Metropolitan Detroit to update child rights laws, give voice to foster parents, and help foster parents gain the knowledge and strength needed to be effective.

She was dedicated to her Christian faith and got involved as a parishioner at Our Lady of LaSalette Church in Berkley, where she made meals for the nuns, started a Sunday school with friends, and sat on the church council.

One of Mary’s early jobs was working as a telephone operator for Michigan Bell. With an entrepreneurial spirit, she later started Huntington Graphic Service from the basement of their home and secured an account with Michigan Bell to create the information pages for telephone books in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. She also created stationary, newsletters, invitations and resumes for families and friends. As her success and accounts grew, Don left his job with Michigan Typesetting and joined her. Together they, along with their children and dedicated employees, grew their business into a successful typesetting and printing company for over three decades.

On a family vacation up north, as the morning sun rose over the spring fed lake, Mary and Don fell in love with the surroundings and made the decision to buy and renovate an old log cabin on Thumb Lake. The family spent many summers making memories at the cabin and made many lifelong friends in their up north community. 

She had many interests and hobbies; sewing, quilting, knitting, cooking, baking, genealogy….she was a lifelong learner and with a generous spirit shared what she learned with family and friends. She loved to host social events and was known for her parties, especially birthday and Halloween parties for the kids, and singalongs for the adults. Her St. Patrick’s Day tea parties were legendary, where friends and neighbors would gather to celebrate the holiday, and each other.

In her later years, her grandchildren were the light of her life. She couldn’t wait to have them come visit the house or have a weekend away at the family cabin. She loved when they would spend the night, so she could read them bedtime stories, and teach them arts and crafts. As they grew, she delighted in their successes and held them close when things got tough, always showering them with love and guidance. Most recently, she was thrilled by the birth of her great granddaughter Mila Rose.

Mary loved her dogs, and the family was never without a canine companion or two. After a dog show at Cobo Hall, she fell in love with West Highland Terriers and spend decades caring for her beloved Westies. She also had a huge heart and in later life, she and Don adopted dogs from the local shelter. She leaves behind Riley and Nessa, who loved cuddling and laying at her feet.

A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 9, 2021, 1:00 PM at Coats Funeral Home- Clarkston, 8909 Dixie Highway. The family will receive friends on Saturday from 11:00 AM until time of service. Inurnment will take place at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan. Memorial Donations in Mary’s name may be made to the American Lung Association. Kindly keep Mary and her family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.  

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