Mary Lou Adgate

Mary Lou (Fairbairn) Adgate of Grand Ledge passed away on May 28, 2017. She was born to Canadian immigrants in Detroit in 1926 and is survived by her four children, Cynthia Davis (Wright) of Trinity, Florida; John (Christina) of Denver, CO; James of Chicago, IL; and Suzanne Rua (Diego) of Laurel, MD; and 4 grandchildren: Sebastian Rua, Grace Rua, Alejandra Adgate, and Samuel Adgate. She was preceded in death by her husband Wayne and parents Erie and Bessie Fairbairn.

Mary Lou was a loving and devoted wife and mother. She met Wayne while a student librarian at Albion College and also earned a Masters in Social Work at the University of Michigan. Before moving to Grand Ledge in the early 1970s she and Wayne lived in Morenci, MI, and then Lansing, where he practiced dentistry for 35 years.

She was a lifetime member of the Lansing Woman's Club, the Alpha Xi Delta sorority, and a docent for many years at the Michigan Historical Society. She enjoyed history, gardening, travel, and visits from her family. She made multiple visits to Stratford, Ontario for the Shakespeare Festival as well as journeys to England, Spain, Costa Rica, Panama, Kenya, and Chile.

An avid reader of the Wall Street Journal, Economist, and history, she loved theatre and political debate. Her greatest joy was being grandmother to Sebastian, Grace, Alejandra, and Samuel.

The family wishes to express its gratitude to Dr. Mark Ensberg and Fairview Adult Care of Grand Ledge for their loving care of Mary Lou. A memorial service will be announced at a future date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Stratford Theater, Calvin College, Habitat for Humanity, or the Volunteers of America.