Maryann Herbert
Age - 91
October 29, 2023
Mary Ann Herbert, age 91, of Saint Clair Shores, Michigan passed away on Saturday, October 28, 2023.
MaryAnn was born on September 28, 1932 to Michael and Helen Karash in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She has an older brother Richard and two younger sisters Dorothy and Diane.
MaryAnn graduated from Pershing High School in 1950 where she was on the arts committee, the human relations club, girls tennis club and the service club where her duties included keeping the halls quieter and neater. Even at that young age her passions were being developed --The beauty that she created in art, at home and garden. The most important of human relations of being wife, mother and grandmother. And her lifelong "service club" of always putting others first.
After graduation, she went to work at General Motors in the blueprint file room. That's where she met a very handsome young man who was there to check out a blueprint. Or perhaps he was really there to check out the darling petite young new employee. Either way this is how MaryAnn met the love of her life, Donald Herbert.
Don and MaryAnn were married on May 16, 1953 at Peace Lutheran Church in Detroit and they had four children Diane, Dawn, Russ and Gail.
Years later they found the perfect corner lot in a new subdivision in St. Clair Shores on Colonial Court South where they built their four bedroom dream house. Many wonderful memories were made in that house they shared together for almost 50 years up until Don's death in 2016. She remained there until 2018 when the early stages of dementia made it necessary to move to the brand new Lakeshore Senior Living facility on Jefferson.
MaryAnn loved gardening. It was her passion to make her yard look pristine especially all the perfectly manicured pachysandra. She was presented with the St. Clair Shores Beautification Award on August 5, 2017 by the mayor. Don would have been so proud.
MaryAnn loved birds. They had a bird house in the backyard where she and Don could watch all kinds of birds from their family room window.
MaryAnn enjoyed acquiring antiques. Their home was always clean, orderly, beautifully decorated and well maintained. Don was extremely talented and any molding or trim MaryAnn desired, he was able to accomplish. A very warm and welcoming home for everyone who entered.
Raising a family gave MaryAnn immense joy and happiness. There were the yearly road trips to visit Grandma and Grandpa Herbert in Florida with four young children all in the back seat of a two door car.
There were many years of boating on the Great Lakes all summer. MaryAnn would happily and perfectly pack clothes and food for the family of six for overnight stays. And of course cleaning boat teak was a pleasure to her.
In the winters Don would construct a skating pond in the backyard and most assuredly MaryAnn would have the hot cocoa with marshmallows waiting for her children. A very Ozzie and Harriet kind of life in the Herbert household.
MaryAnn always made sure that her children had all her support and love no matter what happened in life. She taught her kids to treat others as you would want to be treated with respect and honesty. Caring and kindness was ever present.
MaryAnn dedicated her life to lovingly caring for others. She assisted her mother in law when she no longer could care for herself and moved into their home. She was devoted to her husband as he needed increasingly more care through the years of his serious disabilities. All the while maintaining her cheerful and positive attitude. She always was by her daughter Diane's side while Diane bravely battled the last stage of cancer. MaryAnn was also brave and remained strong through it all.
As many of you know, MaryAnn suffered from increasing dementia these last seven years. It was a blessing that she never lost her true personality. She would still always laugh and smile and sing. Everyone would always comment how sweet she was.
MaryAnn loved her family. She was a loving, kind, patient, caring, gracious wife, precious mother, the best mother in law and the most adoring and doting grandmother and great grandmother.
MaryAnn will always be remembered for all she was and how she lived her life. Always there for others in life's good and bad times.
This is how she was and will always be in our hearts!"
Mary Ann is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Donald C. Herbert and her daughter, Diane DeBruin.
Mary Ann is survived by her children, Dawn Bologna (Mariano), Russell Herbert (Marie), and Gail Meserve (Michael); grandchildren, Jordan DeBruin (Andrea), David Knoll Jr. (Christine), and Ashley Vanbiesbrouck (Patrick); great- grandchildren, Damien, Emma, Lucas, Mackenzie, Riley, and Baby Boy Vanbiesbrouck; and siblings, Richard, Dorothy, and Diane.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Alzheimer's Association (https://www. alz. org/)Show more
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