Mary Elizabeth McGraw

Age 81, died at her home on December 23, 2017.  Mary was born June 17, 1936, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, to Abraham Earl and Grace Filkins.  She graduated from Jackson High School and attended Jackson Business College.  She worked at Consumers Power Company and the Jonesville Independent Newspaper.  Mary has lived in Jackson, Saginaw, Rochester, Kalamazoo, Brooklyn and East Lansing, being active in whichever community she resided, including serving as Vice Chairman of the Kalamazoo County Republican Party for 11 years, being named state “Republican Woman Volunteer of the Year” twice.  Mary was also a Michigan delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1984, and was Kalamazoo County Chair for Milliman for Congress in 1982.  She was also active in the United Methodist Church, teaching Sunday School while in Saginaw.  Mary loved their cottage on the shores of Lake Missaukee at Lake City and savored the time she could spend there.  In retirement, she and Gene traveled extensively, visiting 19 different Caribbean Islands.

Mary is survived by her husband of 58 years, Gene; son, Scott (Marcia) of Portage; daughter, Shanna (Bill) Mikolic of Holt; 5 grandchildren, Darrell and Dan Bryant,  Taylor, Josh and Sarah McGraw; sister, Kathleen Saterlee of Coldwater; niece, Laurie (Steve) McEnroe of Seymour, IN; and a grand nephew, Patrick McEnroe.  She was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother, David Filkins.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, December 28, 2017, at the Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel, with The Rev. Jon Pohl officiating.  Her family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the funeral service.  Private interment will take place in Highland Cemetery in Brooklyn.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Great Lakes Caring Hospice, or Asbury United Methodist Church in memory of Mary McGraw.