Mary N. Beals

Marinell (Mary) Beals, age 84, of Grand Blanc, Michigan, was called home to be with her Lord on Thursday, July 24, 2025. Mary was born June 5, 1941 in Holcomb, Missouri, to the late Pickens and Edith Blakemore. After her father’s death, she and most of her family moved north to find jobs in Flint. They began attending South Flint Nazarene Church where Mary fell in love with Les, the fifteen-year-old organist. She graduated from Flint Central High School in 1959, and three years later she and Les were married. For the rest of their days, they followed Christ and served Him faithfully.

Before she had kids, Mary worked as a secretary at GM, helping Les through engineering school. And when the kids were older she and her sisters opened an antique store in downtown Grand Blanc. Some of those items are still on her shelves today. Mary had many interests: she was an avid reader, a gardner, and a garage sale enthusiast. She and Les enjoyed traveling throughout their marriage and she especially loved her annual trips to North Carolina (every year for 28 years!) to stay with Julie where they explored the Atlantic Ocean beaches and North Carolina mountains together. But her main interest and dear love was her family. She loved her brothers and sisters, many of whom lived close enough to share everyday life with Mary and Les. She adored her children and most especially her grandchildren (and great-grand children!). She was a dedicated mom and grandma, and most weeks as her grandchildren were growing up you would find her in Ann Arbor or Lansing babysitting or even on homeschooling duty.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Les, her brothers Joe (Frieda), Jack (Jacquie), and John (Martha), her sister Sharon, and great grandson Hezekiah whom she is meeting now for the first time! She is survived by her children, Bradley (Heidi) Beals, Joel (Patricia) Beals, Julie Beals; grandchildren: Charlie (Kyria), Lewis (Ari), Maxwell, Hudson (Emily), Eva, Elizabeth, Nina, Bennett, Jon; great grandchildren: Zander, Malitva, and Hozana (all Charlie’s kids); her sisters Carol Blakemore and Judy (Dwayne) Cross; sister-in-law Jacquie; and brother-in-law Chuck Beals (Carol).

A visitation for Mary will be held Monday, July 28, 2025 from 12PM to 2:00 PM at Hill Funeral Home, 11723 South Saginaw, Grand Blanc, Michigan. The funeral service will follow immediately at 2:00 PM. Burial to follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Grand Blanc. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mary's memory may be made to Eastside Mission, P.O. Box 90238, Burton, Michigan 48509.