Maria MacKellar

Maria MacKellar was a true lady, whose beautiful and classy appearance was perfectly matched by a kind and loving heart. Dedicated and loving, she was an inspiration to others, a living example of the way to live an upright and virtuous life. Her wonderful sense of humor, her unshakable faith, and her generosity of spirit will live on in the hearts of all those whose lives she touched.

Maria was born on October 31, 1921, to proud parents Ernest and Anna M. (Fiene) Schramm. She loved being a Halloween baby, and in the years to come always put special effort into her Halloween costume, as an adult designing and creating her own costumes. Maria was the third child in a family of four, with siblings Helen, Ernest, and Paul. The family lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Ernest earned a living as a butcher and sausage maker. Sadly, Maria’s mother passed away when she was only six years old; after this, the children were mainly raised by their father.

Maria attended school first at Harrison Park Elementary and later at Union High School. Bright and outgoing, Maria made friends easily at school, and was involved in many extracurricular activities. Over the years, she was a cheerleader, a song leader, and an actress in the drama program. She also swam regularly at the Richmond Park Pool, and held the breast stroke record for over sixteen years.

After graduating from Union High in 1939, Maria found a job as a sales clerk at Stekeete’s Department Store in downtown Grand Rapids. She worked in the shoe department, where her unbeatable sense of style convinced many shoppers that her advice was worth taking!

When Maria was in eleventh grade, she had begun dating a young man named Bruce MacKellar. Maria and Bruce soon fell in love, and realized that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. Their plans were set back, however, when America was drawn into World War II and Bruce joined the Navy. But even a war couldn’t keep these two apart for long – Maria and Bruce were married on October 26, 1942, while Bruce was home on leave. The ceremony was held at his parents’ home on Lake Michigan Drive, and marked the beginning of a marriage that would last for seventy wonderful years.

After Bruce returned home safe and sound at the end of the war, Maria and her husband settled down in Grand Rapids. Bruce worked for the City Engineering Department, and Maria taught water aerobics for seniors suffering from arthritis. Over the years, Maria and Bruce were blessed with four children: Cindy, Susan, Max, and David. Maria loved being a mom, and supported her children in all of their activities. She was active in the PTA, and volunteered as a leader in the Blue Birds and the Campfire Girls. Later, when the kids were in high school, Maria helped out with costume design for the drama department. Maria was also an amazing homemaker, and the whole family looked forward to her home-cooked meals. Some of her german specialties were sauerbraten, pastries, beef stroganoff, potato salad, and beignets (a kind of fritter).

Energetic and motivated, Maria was also active in many community organizations. She and her family belonged to the Faith United Methodist Church (formerly the Valley Avenue Methodist Church), and Maria was always one of the first to volunteer when something needed to be done. She was a tireless fundraiser, and was given an award by the World Mission in recognition of her fundraising efforts. Maria also cooked lunch for Kiwanis Club members who held weekly meetings at their church.

When they had the chance, the MacKellar family loved camping around Michigan. As the kids got older, vacation destinations became more exotic, including memorable trips to Hawaii, Europe, and Mexico. Back at home, Maria was an avid reader, and could often be spotted curled up with a good book. She also enjoyed a few TV shows, such as I Love Lucy, Bonanza, Dallas, and the Lawrence Welk Show.

Their home became known as the “MacKellar Hilton,” since the kids and grandkids would visit every weekend, catching up on news, swimming in the pool, and eating Maria’s delicious food. Maria loved being a grandma, and kept a special stash of candy in the china cabinet for her grandchildren. In 2007, Maria and Bruce moved to Megan Ct. NW.

Recently, Maria’s health began to decline, and she developed heart and kidney problems. She was admitted to Yorkshire Manor on July 27 of this year, where she was placed under hospice care.

Kind-hearted, generous, and possessed of a wonderful sense of humor, Maria was a devoted wife, a loving mother and grandmother, and a faith-filled follower of Christ. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her many friends and family members.

Maria A. MacKeller died peacefully and went to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, August 14, 2012, with her loving family at her side. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Cynthia Kowroski; and her brothers, Ernest and Paul Schramm. Maria’s family includes her husband of 70 years, Bruce MacKellar; her children, Susan (Rod) Rosema, Max (Nancy) MacKellar, and David (Kerry Briske) MacKellar; her grandchildren, Travis (Missy) Porter, Amy (Bill) Cabral, Maria (Martin Harvey) Kowroski, Tiffany MacKellar, Leah Porter, and Katie (Joe) Dubiel; five great-grandchildren; her son-in-law, Bob (Lillian) Kowroski; her sister, Helen Kamphuis; her sister-in-law, Kathryn Jeffers; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

A service to celebrate her life will be held at Faith United Methodist Church, 2600 7th St. NW, on Friday at 11:00 a.m. Relatives and friends may meet her family on Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr., and again at the church on Friday from 10 a.m. until the service begins. Contributions in her memory may be made to Faith United Methodist Church or to Spectrum Health Hospice. Please visit Maria’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can learn more about her life, share a favorite memory or photo, and sign the online guestbook.