WAYLAND, MI & ENGLEWOOD, FL:
Mary Agnes Weatherhead of Wayland, Michigan and Englewood, Florida, age 101, fought the good fight, kept the faith, and finished her race Monday July 8, 2024. She was born April 10, 1923, in Cleveland Ohio, the daughter of Herschel and Marie Driver, sister to Martha Driver. She graduated valedictorian from Shore High School in Euclid, Ohio and attended one year at Cleveland College/Case Western before transferring to the University of Michigan where she graduated in 1945 with a business accounting degree.
Mary met and dated her future husband the late Edward (Ted) Weatherhead while at Shore High. They were married on September 8, 1945. After college graduation, Mary worked as a bookkeeper as they started their family with the first of 13 children born in July of 1946. She would experience steady home employment where she managed the “family business”, overseeing exponential growth for the next 7 decades. Later she partnered with Ted to run the consulting company Weatherhead Associates.
Mary was a devout Catholic dedicating her spiritual life to Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the Church. She penned a memoir in recent years titled Faith First. Mary served on many committees and volunteered at each parish she attended. She prayed daily for her family, church, country, the world, as well as complete strangers.
Another passion of Mary’s was the maize and blue of the University of Michigan Wolverines. She was delighted to see her team win the national championship in football in January of 2024. Despite the trials of their season, she somehow saw “signs” her team would prevail.
Mary saw motherhood as a calling and is survived by her 13 children Jim (Diane) Weatherhead of Middleville, MI; Pete (Barb) Weatherhead, of Grand Rapids, MI; Mike (Jean) Weatherhead, of Woodhaven, MI; Joan (the late Michael) Holmes of Grand Rapids, MI; Charlie (Sharon) Weatherhead, of Woodhaven, MI; Bill (Carol) Weatherhead, of Newaygo, MI; Martha (John) LaVoie, of Grand Rapids, MI; Tom (Deby) Weatherhead, of Mesa, AZ; Andy (Cathy) Weatherhead, of Grand Rapids, MI; Bob (Shelly) Weatherhead, of Hicksville, OH; Madelaine Jones, of Traverse City, MI; Steve Weatherhead, of Phoenix, AZ; Mary (Chris) Overbeek, of Murrells Inlet, SC. She is also survived by 44 grandchildren and 63 great-grandchildren.
Mary enjoyed watching her children and grandchildren in their sports, music, and other activities. Her drive for competition seemed limitless, as she enjoyed playing, watching, following, analyzing, and keeping score of the many games in which she, her children, and her grandchildren competed. She was active playing games with others on her iPad. She also enjoyed many games that were invented before the screens came on the scene – Cribbage, Scrabble, Bridge…, you name it, she played and usually won!
She especially enjoyed her annual family reunion (40+ years) which she would host each summer at her home on Gun Lake, Michigan. So beloved, she was thrilled by the 90% attendance at each reunion, which always made for a large crowd.
Memories of Mary will remind those who knew and loved her to fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith. And always keep your chin up.
Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Monday, July 15, 2024 at Kubiak-Cook Funeral Services (Wayland Chapel), 312 N. Main St., Wayland, MI 49348, with a Rosary at 7 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church, 159 131st Ave., Wayland, MI 49348, with visitation from 10-10:45 a.m. prior. In memory of Mary and in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project. The family welcomes memories and messages at www.kubiakcookwayland.com in Mary’s online guest book.
