Margaret Catherine Laura

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive, well-preserved body.... But rather, to skid in sideways, desserts in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out screaming 'WOO-HOO WHAT A RIDE!!!!" And what a ride she had. She started life as an Angel of God, then a daughter of Mary, the wife of Ed and the mother of Bev, Jerry, Peggy, Dianne, Shelly, Bing and Tony, then grandmother and great grandmother to many. Mom was born January 18, 19l8 in Buffalo, Ohio. She moved with her family to the Detroit area when she was six years old and attended St. Augustin Grade School. She attended Burroughs Intermediate School for 9th and 10th grade, then Girls Vocational School for 11th and 12th grade where she learned how to sew and cook. She made her graduation dress. Every week she attended the dance at St. Cyril. She went to work at Udylite, a factory buffing wheels, but her job was a seamstress, sometimes running as many as 3 sewing machines at a time. Her best friends were Marge and Ruth. She met our Dad, Eddie, at a gas station where he worked and he asked her out. They went to a barn dance for their first date. They were married on May 25, 1940 at St. Cyril. Her father passed away when she was 16 so her brother Charlie walked her down the aisle. Dad's Mom gave them a party in her basement. They didn't have a honeymoon and lived in an upper flat in Detroit. She became pregnant with Beverly soon after, and then Jerry and Peggy. Dianne came 4 years later and then 6 years after came Michele, Bing and Tony. They moved to the house on Manning in 1950 and mom lived there after Eddie passed away in 1992. During that time in addition to being wife and mom to 7 kids, she worked at the Post Office, Hartfields Store at Eastland, and at Mike Dorian Car Dealership. Mom and Dad celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a Mass at St. Jude where they renewed their vows and then a big celebration after with family and friends. She was the most fabulous cook and baker and sometimes would spend all day making her famous cheese cake and chocolate chip date nut cake only to have all of it gone in a matter of minutes when we all got home from school. Christmas and birthdays were grand celebrations with presents, cake and lots of special food. Mom and dad loved throwing parties for everything and anything. The basement would be cleaned and cleared out to make room for the "dance floor" and they would party all night long. Summers meant a bar-b-q where dad would take over the cooking and they would party with friends and relatives in the backyard. Saturday was spent grocery shopping. Mom would start out early Saturday. She didn't do her shopping at just one store. One store had good deals on canned goods, another one was where she got the best produce and then another for milk and ice cream. She never met a coupon she didn't love. A couple years ago she walked to Rite Aid in the middle of a huge 50 mph wind storm to use a 30 cent coupon that was about to expire. On the way home she was knocked over by the wind, walker and all, and everything went flying. She couldn't get up and a nice couple stopped their car, helped her up, and made sure she got home. Even though she was bleeding from a bump and scrape on the head, she managed to make it down to the dining room for a delicious roast beef sandwich, which she said made her feel a whole lot better! Mom loved gardening and would spend hours tending her beautiful roses and flowers in her backyard on Manning. When she moved to an apartment, she was fortunate to have a garage and patio and a garden she could take care of and grow not only flowers, but vegetables as well. She was known as the "flower lady". Oh did Mom love shopping! Not just any shopping..... I believe the Dollar Stores were made for her. If one mug was a good deal, then surely 100 mugs were even better, because you never knew when you might need a new mug for someone! She loved garage sales, having them and going to them, and always found the best deals. After spending a whole day with Mom, you were tired, but she would be raring to go and wait at the door for her friend Cleo to come get her for a night of playing Bingo. In 2002 Mom fell and broke her femur, and even that didn't slow her down. After rehab, she was as good as new. She used a walker to satisfy her children it would keep her safe, but it only enabled her to go faster. In 2006 she moved into a Senior Living Center where she didn't have to cook or clean anymore and we all had the assurance she was safe and secure. She soon started running the little store, running bingo and taking care of some of the more senior residents who needed help. She stayed there for 11 years until her final move to an American House where she quickly made friends with everyone. As her life slowed down her hobbies changed. She still loved tending to a few plants and maybe one tomato plant in the summer, and she still played Bingo when she could. But she loved working word puzzles, jig saw puzzles, and adult coloring. She had a beautiful collection of color books and many different sets of pens, crayons and markers which made her beautiful pictures come alive. She loved the Detroit Tigers and was so sad when Justin Verlander was traded. Her new favorite became Miguel Cabrera. During her recent hospital stay she was surprised by a representative of the Detroit Tigers. He presented her with a "Most Loyal Fan Certificate" and then a Miguel Cabrera autographed baseball and picture. What a day that was for her! Especially later on when her daughter Michele called and when handed the phone thought we said Miguel and she proceeded to have a long conversation with who she thought was Miguel Cabrera! We celebrated her 100th birthday on January 20, 2018. It was a grand affair. She was surrounded by family and friends from California, Colorado, Florida, Ohio and Michigan. We had a special Grandma blessing from the grandkids, a wonderful meal, a special visit from Paws of the Detroit Tigers, a special rendition of Love Me Tender sung by her children, and then the whole party played Bingo. We sang Happy Birthday and she blew out her candles. Mom said she felt like a movie star. She looked like a movie star. She sparkled from head to toe. To all who crossed her path and knew her by one of her many names, we thank you for your kindness. Saying hello to her when you saw her at a party, plus your cards and notes of encouragement during her life and now in her passing into eternal life with Jesus in Heaven were so appreciated by her and now by her family. She saved every card, note, and envelope that had a sticker or message on it. She displayed them proudly and when her entertainment center was full, she would transfer the cards and notes to her chest where she lined her drawers with all your good wishes and congratulations. They don't ask for much when they're really old. They want to be loved and cared for, they want food, and they just need a warm place to lay their head at night. She is now in the arms of Our Lord in Heaven, and just as she started out 100 years ago, she is again an Angel of God.

Margaret Catherine Laura

January 18, 1918 - March 6, 2018