Mary Ellen Harrison Teska

Mary Ellen Teska age 87 passed away on September 25, 2011. Born September 24, 1924 in Capac, Michigan. Beloved wife of the late Wilfred “Bud” dear mother of Jane and Robert (Gale) and the late William. Loving grandmother of Kelly. Mary worked as a secretary at General Electric, she was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa sorority, St. Michaels seniors and school government. Mary earned her Business degree from St. Clair Community College. Visitation will be Tuesday September 27, 2011 from 2-8 pm at Resurrection Funeral Home 40800 Hayes Rd. Clinton Twp., MI 48038. Funeral Wednesday September 28, 2011 in state at 10:00 am until the time of service at 11:00 am at Immanuel United Methodist Church 23715 Gratiot Ave. Eastpointe, MI 40821.

If anyone ever cared, really cared for someone else it would have to be Mary Ellen Teska. She was a warm hearted and well liked individual, and these wonderful traits came easily to her because she was such a sociable and amiable person, someone who was always making certain that those around her had whatever they needed. Mary was a talkative person who was tactful at all times but typically said what she meant.

Mary was born on At home in Capac, Michigan. She was the daughter of Harvey and Eva Harrison. Mary was raised in Capac, Port Huron, Algonac, Marine City, and Richmond Michigan. During her childhood she learned to be reliable and respectful. Mary was an obedient child who wanted to win the favor of others. She found it easy to show sympathy and to perform kind acts for others. These admirable qualities would become a part of Mary's personality throughout her life.

As someone who reveled in the sheer joy of her experiences, Mary was always enthusiastic about new adventures. Although she had an exacting nature, Mary was always tactful. One thing Mary will certainly be remembered for is that, when she got up in the mornings, she was ready and raring to go. As a young girl, Mary had a number of interests and was an active child. She was a member of 4 H.

For Mary, the school routines were never a problem although she generally preferred variety to structure. She seemed to be able to start a project and work right through to its completion. And she was able to do it quickly and efficiently. Mary was also adept at details. Mary was very observant and was generally quick at picking up new things. She attended from Marine City, Richmond and graduated from Algonac in 1942. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was typewriting class. She held the lead roles in plays, and enjoyed cheerleading.

College can be a challenge, but Mary appeared to be well equipped to succeed. She had a knack for staying focused and on track no matter what was going on around her. Mary had the ability to work undisturbed through all of the constant interruptions that are a regular part of college life. Mary enjoyed using the skills she'd already learned and applying them to new courses. She knew the facts and rarely made factual errors. She earned her Business Degree.

There was one thing that all of Mary's friends knew and will still remember, and that is that she was a talker. She could pretty much talk to anybody about anything. This quality is one of the primary reasons that Mary was such a popular person throughout her life. But Mary was also dependable, loyal and trustworthy. Mary was the kind of person who simply radiated good fellowship. While she maintained personal standards and her own personal values, Mary was very accepting of others. With a distinct skill for working things out, Mary was often the person who would organize events. In fact, Mary was fairly comfortable playing the role of “host” for just about any occasion. When Mary made friends, she made true and lasting friendships. While growing up, some of her best friends were Virginia Kane, Doris Cassidy, Jenny Mariz Decker. Later in life, she became friends with millie Leegstra, Barb Kaski, Nan Schmidt, and Yvonne Dick.

Mary was a faithful and loving person. Some would even call her sentimental and a romantic at heart. Her kindness and consideration radiated an aura of warmth to those around her. Mary cared for what others thought and carried that into her marriage. On June 22, 1946 Mary married Wilfred "Bud" Louis Teska at Nardiw Park Methodist Church of Detroit, Michigan. Compassionate and devoted, Mary worked hard to make her new life partner happy.

Harmony was important to Mary and she made every effort to maintain it with her family. Mary was blessed with 3, one daughter Jane, and two sons Bill and Bob. They were also blessed with one granddaughter, Kelly. Mary was always conscious of the feelings others had. She was reasonable and understanding. As a result, Mary was quick to solve disputes and did so without much fuss. Her secret of success in this area was simple: Mary would listen before she would act.

Taking her work seriously came naturally to Mary, and she expected the same from those around her. Mary was a good team player, someone who was born to cooperate with others. She was what some would call a “people person” and it was demonstrated in her good communication skills. Mary was a steady worker, one who was realistic about schedules. The kind of details that would give family members and work colleagues fits were situations that Mary handled well. She could understand the details without getting lost in the broad “big picture.” Her primary occupation was secretary. She was employed for 15 years at General Electric Carboloy. She brought harmony to her work environment, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done, while always maintaining respect for her colleagues.

A methodical woman, Mary enjoyed spending time working on her various hobbies. She had no problem following all of the steps and instructions on a given project and was proud of the fact that she could have something to show for her efforts. Her favorite pursuits were playing cards, playing organ, painting, and knitting.

Her keen interest in things that affected the lives of other people led Mary to become actively involved in professional and community organizations. Because she was outgoing and worked well with others, Mary did her fair share of volunteer work. And she wouldn’t shy away from taking the lead on committees or events, either. She was a born list maker and was great at creating and sticking to schedules. In high school, Mary was a member of the thespian club, and cheerleading group. In college, Mary joined the help World War II Effort.

Mary was the kind of person who would readily move into action in order to help others. She was appreciated and respected. She could find value in the opinions of others and was passionate about her own values and beliefs. So it’s little wonder that she was active and highly valued by those in her community, serving on committees for the various food drives, worked at womans shelter. Politically, Mary was involved in school of Government.

Her high moral standards and traditional values served Mary well with her faith. Religion and faith were important to her. She was a member for 24 years of Immanuel United Methodist Church. During that time, she helped with Christmas plays and food drives. She was well respected because she was such an outgoing individual who sought to help in any manner she could.

A generous and compassionate woman, Mary accomplished much during her lifetime. Though she never set out to gain individual recognition, Mary was recognized and given awards for her many and varied efforts throughout her life. Some of her most prestigious awards included top tupperware saleswoman.

Not only did Mary enjoy traveling, but she also seemed to enjoy planning all of those trips and vacations. She was a facilitator who could easily make up a near perfect schedule of all of the things to do and see. She rarely tired of going back and revisiting her favorite places. Favorite vacations included Smokey Mountains, Mackinac City, Grand Hotel, and being at summer home on Lake Huron.

Mary was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. One of her favorites was Casey, her Yurkshire Terrier, who was a best friend for he is still alive, he is 11 years old. Her family was rounded out by Hershey who stayed at her house quite a bit.

Since it was easy for Mary to meet and get to know new people, she quickly made friends, even in retirement. Once she met those new friends, she loved sharing stories and talking about the good old days. Since she was practical and cost effective, Mary was ready when that day to retire finally came in 1974. Her new life involved relocating to home. In retirement, she found new pleasure in St. Michaels seniors, playing cards, bowling, spending Summers at Lake Huron, School of Government, painting, and playing the organ. Even in retirement, Mary stayed in touch with her old friends and made plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities that retirement offered her.

Mary passed away on September 25, 2011 at Henry Ford Hospital Macomb, Michigan. Mary fought a long battle against Diabetes. She is survived by daughter Jane, son Bob, daughter in law Gale, and grandaughter Kelly Services were held at Immanuel United Methodist Church. Mary was innerened at Resurrection Cemetery Clinton Twp., Michigan.

Mary was a fantastic conversationalist who could engage just about anyone in a discussion. And whenever she said something, she meant it. Mary was a down to earth person, outgoing and gregarious. She was without question the type of person who enjoyed experiencing things first hand. She was practical and sensible, but what friends and family will remember her for most is the fact that she was so understanding and kind. Everyone whose life she touched will miss Mary Ellen Teska.