Mary Lou Maurice Obituary

In loving memory of Mary Louise "Mary Lou" Maurice who passed away peacefully on July 19, 2025. She was the beloved wife of the late Bernard Joseph (Bernie) Maurice and loving mother of seven.

Born on December 8,1936 to Ernest Ray and Katherine Mary (Burke) Gentry, she was the third of four children. Mary Lou grew up on the East Side of Detroit and attended St. Jude grade school. For high school she attended and graduated from Saint Anthony's in Detroit, where she excelled at basketball, once scoring 51 points in a game and leading her team to a league title. On September 6,1958 Mary Lou and Bernie were wed and remained together for over sixty-three years until his passing in 2022.

Her family was the center of her life. She spent many years raising her children and attending countless sporting events, plays and banquets for her children. In the midst of raising 7 children, Mary Lou was one of a group of parents who helped to start the girls' basketball program at Shrine Grade School in the early 70s. When her children were grown, Mary Lou returned to the workplace working at the Royal Oak Public Library, where she was the librarian in charge of Lawson Hall. She later worked for and retired from Oakland Community College at their Orchard Ridge campus.

As she transitioned from motherhood into grandmotherhood, she decided to start writing Grandma's Gazette in 1992. The Gazette was mailed to every child and their family, and consisted of family updates, motivational quotes, important dates and bible verses. All of Mary Lou's grandchildren have fond memories of receiving Grandma's Gazette in the mail. She had a unique way of making every one of her children and grandchildren feel special, even though there were so many. A birthday would not pass without a birthday card from Grandma. Christmas Eve was always a special time for the Maurice family, and Mary Lou would buy gifts for every one of her grandchildren and place them in a large bag, which she sewed herself. For every grandchild's first Christmas, they would receive their bag with their name on it. When it would come time for the grandchildren to open their gifts on Christmas Eve, it could take hours. Her love for her grandchildren and great grandchildren knew no bounds.

Mary Lou was the loving mother of seven, grandmother of thirty-two, and great-grandmother of seventeen, with more on the way. She will be greatly missed.

She is survived by her children Janet Barcelo, David (Cindy) Maurice, Daniel (Lisa) Maurice, Joann (Scott) McKenzie, John (Lori) Maurice, and Jim (Amy) Maurice; daughter-in-law Tina Maurice Snyder; sister Kathy Ruedisale; sisters in law Lois Gentry, Rosemary Vasseur and in-law Juanda Maurice, and; grandchildren Michael (Angel) Barcelo, Stephen (Tiffany) Barcelo, Miguel Barcelo, Celeste (David) DeGaalon, Gabriel Barcelo, Faith Barcelo, James Barcelo, Carmen Barcelo, Esperanza Barcelo, Elisabeth Barcelo, Stephanie (Wayne) Beason, Jonathan (Angela) Maurice, Shelby Maurice, Christian Maurice, Devon (Evan) Manser, Meredith Maurice, William Maurice, Jeremy Maurice, Emily Maurice, Olivia Maurice, Christie (Zane) McKenzie-Anthony, Michael McKenzie, Aimee (Aleks) Velkoski, AJ (Elise) Maurice, Andria (Patrick) Streit, Alexis Maurice, Kyle (Emma) Maurice, Brett Maurice, Samantha Maurice, Benjamin Maurice, Maya Maurice, and Zachary Maurice; great-grandchildren Odhinn, Michael, Philippe, Jerome, Joseph, Beckham, Alana, Fern, Georgia, Gentry, Preston, Isaiah, Warren, Elizabeth, John-Mark, Gemma and Ember Sno.

She was predeceased by her son Alan Maurice in 2018; sister Julie Pollack, brother Robert Gentry, sisters in law Marie Therese Maurice, Rita Mae Maurice, Lucille Moore, Celeste Laursen, Helen Knox and Jeanne Shepley; brothers in law Robert Maurice, Gerard Maurice, Roland Maurice, Quentin Pollack and Jerome Maurice; and in-laws Bob Knox, Sterling Laursen, Mary Maurice, Ruth Maurice, Al Moore, Vic Shepley, and Ron Vasseur. She will be fondly remembered by a large and loving extended family of Maurices and Gentrys.

Visitation will take place Monday, July 28, 4-8pm at Lynch & Sons Funeral Home, 1368 N. Crooks, Clawson. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Christ, Our Light Catholic Church, 3077 Glouchester, Troy, Tuesday, July 29 at 10:30am. Friends may visit at church beginning at 10am and there will be a gathering at the church afterward.

The family kindly requests donations be made in Mary Lou's name to Christ, Our Light Church, 3077 Glouchester Dr., Troy, MI, 48084.