Mary L. Cook

Mary Leposky Cook was born to John and Mary Leposky on December 3, 1910 in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. The sixth of 10 children , Mary was said to have been brought to America in the suitcase of her maternal grandmother who came from what is now Slovakia. Since grandma did not speak English, Mary, the favorite grandchild (who was bilingual), served as her interpreter, She was a spunky child who loved to sing and dance, passions that never left her. Moving to rural Michigan with her family as a teenager, Mary worked as a live-in “mother's helper” in Detroit so that she could attend and graduate high school in town. Post high school and at interverals during her life she worked as a secretary who typed and took short hand with remarkable speed and accuracy. She also learned to sew, another passion and skill she exercised up into her 90's when she did alterations at her Senior Residence for “pin money.” Her creations over time included her own wedding dress, and later endless frocks and prom dresses for her daughter, neighbors and friends. Her other handiwork included, knitting, crocheting, decoupaging, as well as wall papering, painting and redecorating, and just about anything else she set her hand to. Her hands were never idle, almost always engaged in making a gift for a friend or whipping up her specialties: chocolate cream or lemon pies. Her lovely handmade quilts and lap quilts, her pride and joy, were precious gifts to friends and family. She met her husband, Clyde, at a parish dance at St. Benedict's in Detroit. During their sixty year marriage, Mary and Clyde were the host and hostess of many a dinner party, impromptu lunch, picnic, or holiday feast. Their hospitality extended to so many as they opened their home to family members in need: to Clyde's father, then his sister and brother-in-law, and finally Mary's widowed brother-in-law and his two children.

Mary's generous spirit extended to all she met. She never let anyone leave without a homemade gift, a freshly baked goodie, or maybe a banana (at the end of her life when she could no longer cook or bake.)

She loved her two children, Suzy and Tommy, and created for them a wonderful childhood full of happy memories. When her only grandchild, Marina, was born, Mary's life and love took on a new purpose to form a bond between them not unlike that which Mary had with her own grandmother. This joyful relationship between “Tonda” and Marina was further enhanced when Marina married Tom and produced great-grandson, Miles, her pride and delight. In addition, Mary has always been “Auntie Mary” to numerous nieces, nephews, and their children. She became the beloved matriarch of her tribe and maintained her connection to them through a continuing correspondence of cards, letters, phone calls and visits .

Mary's life of 106 years was rare, in terms of longevity. More rare were her great faith, her indomnitable hope, her joyful spirit, her remarkable energy, her fervent love, and her incredible resilience. She was a woman of strength, humility, and good humour. Mary loved the moon, the sky, the clouds, and even as her eyesight failed she looked heavenward to point out those heavenly bodies. That she passed on the day of the solar eclipse is no surprise, for the heavens took her to join them in the spectacular mystery of that which is beyond our understanding.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Susan Arandjelovic; son, Thomas Cook and wife, Rebecca; granddaughter, Marina Krueger and husband, Tom Krueger; great-grandson, Miles Krueger, and many devoted nieces, nephews and their children..

Her parents, husband and nine siblings pre-deceased her.