Mary J Leahy

Mary J. Leahy, 92, of Fort Gratiot, died Sunday, May 22, 2016.

She was born September 12, 1923 in Port Huron to the late Terrance L. and Clara (Cody) Gleason.

Due to their mother’s illness, Mary and her brother, Eugene T. Gleason, spent their childhood in the home of their uncle and aunt, Jack and Ann (Gleason) Teahan and their children, Gene, Max, Jim, Margaret, Tommy and Jack, who became like brothers and sisters. She spent summers at the Cody Farm in Emmett with their mother’s family, Margaret Cody and her children, Richard, Joan and Rita Jane.

After graduating from St. Stephen High School in 1941, Mary traveled to Washington DC, working as secretary to Congressman Hayes from Ohio. While there, she met and dated someone from “home”, Bob Leahy, Sr. who had been stationed at a naval base near Washington. They returned to Port Huron and married November 14, 1953 in St. Stephen Church, celebrating 51 years of marriage before Bob’s death, October 31, 2005.

Mary, with optimistic Irish humor, enjoyed her role as wife and mother to 5 children, volunteering at St. Edward and Keewahdin Schools, Mercy Hospital Auxiliary and later working as a part time seamstress for Ehlinger’s Interior Design. Once Bob retired from U.S. Customs, they enjoyed driving across the United States seeing the country and their out of town children. Together they moved from their house of 50 years to the Mercy Village retirement community, where the Terrace staff welcomed and treated them like family, and following Bob’s death, that loving care was continued by the Starpath Adult Daycare at St. Clair County Council on Aging.

Mary is survived by her children, Ruth (Dan) Kessel of Belleville, Bob (Lori) Leahy Jr. of Holly, Maureen (Jeff) Quandt of Thornton, CO, Patsy (Buck) Beach of Port Huron, Terry (Maria) Leahy of San Diego, CA; grandchildren, Laura (Dave) Eonta of Warren, Bob Beach of Port Huron, Patrick, Mia and Ruby Leahy of San Diego, CA; and great grandchildren, Dominic and Nolan Eonta,

She was also preceded in death by her brother, Eugene (Eleanor) Gleason.

Visiting hours will be 6-9 p.m. Friday, June 3, 2016 at Karrer-Simpson Funeral Home.

Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Saturday, June 4, 2016 in St. Edward on the Lake Catholic Church, with visiting beginning at 10 a.m. The Rev. Lee Acervo will officiate. Burial will follow in Mt. Hope Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Adrian Dominican Sisters, St. Edward Church or Starpath Adult Daycare.