Mary Ellen "Helen" (Gleason) Graham

Mary Ellen “Helen” Graham, 98 years, of Adrian passed away peacefully with family at her side on October 06, 2021 at Provincial House Skilled Nursing Center, Adrian, MI. Mary was born on January 18, 1923 in Melvin, Sanilac County, MI., the last of four children born to John Wm and Mary Ellen “Minnie” (Dunn) Gleason Jr.  In her early adult years, she moved to and worked at Briggs Manufacturing in Detroit as part of the WWII effort and later as a Michigan Bell Telephone Operator. On June 04, 1949, she married the love of her life, Robert Gordon Graham, who preceded her in death in 1980 after 30 years of marriage.  Mary lived her life as a mother and homemaker, was a member of St. Timothy Catholic Church, Trenton and was a member of their Altar Society and later a parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church of Temperance. She will be remembered for her love of baking, antiquing and gardening. Her Catholic faith and commitment to marriage and family were well known to those who knew her. Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; her elder siblings, Leo F. Gleason, John M. Gleason, infant sister Victoria Gleason, sister’s in-law, Marie (Monaghan) Gleason, and Elenora (Jezioriski) Gleason. Surviving are her children, Carol (Robert) Price of Pinckney MI, Roberta (Craig Medred) Graham of Anchorage AK, Robert (Jayne) Graham of Frankfort ILL, and Michelle (Robert) Burke of Adrian, MI, one sister-in-law Frances Wood of Bennington, Vermont, 5 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren and 1 great grandchild and many nieces and nephews. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 4605 St Anthony Rd, Temperance MI with Fr. Robert Slaton officiating at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, October 12, 2021.  There will be viewing at 10:00am for one hour before the Funeral Mass. The Rite of Committal will follow at a later date at Our Lady of Hope Cemetery, Brownstown MI in a private ceremony. The family will receive friends on Monday October 11 from 4:00 – 7:00pm at the Purse Funeral Home, 210 W. Pottawatamie St, Tecumseh, MI with Rosary prayed at 7:00pm.  The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the entire staff at Charlotte Stephenson Manor in Adrian, where Mary spent her final years, for their loving devotion and care for her.

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