Mary E. Dove

Mary Dove was a humble, hardworking woman, a woman who devoted her life to being a good wife, mother and grandmother. She was the kind of woman who would do anything for her family, make any sacrifice, and do so proudly, willingly, and quietly. Times were often tough, but her family always had plenty. They had a mother named Mary, the "Greatest mother in the world," and who could ask for anything more.

Mary was born on a sunny Saturday on July 31, 1915 in Grand Rapids, the middle of three children to August and Theresa (Keller) Grothuesmann. Her parents were German immigrants, and her mother wanted to name her newborn daughter Marie, which is pronounced "Mary" in her homeland, but the couple settled on the English spelling. Mary joined older brother Ted, and younger sister Emma, helping fill the Grothuesmann home near the corner of Richmond and Alpine, which was then just a two-lane gravel road. Their parents were quite strict, especially on Sundays, and Mary often recalled spending the entire day in her Sunday best, exiled to the front porch to keep her clothes from getting dirty. Her parents also spoke German to each other, and Mary and her brother and sister naturally learned a little.

Mary attended school through the eighth grade, before leaving to find work, not uncommon in those days entering the Great Depression. Mary took a job working on a nearby farm, and moved in with the family to take care of the children and do light housekeeping. On that farm she found room, board and an honest wage - and the love of her life. Mary met one of the farm's hired hands, a strapping young man named Earl Dove, and the two soon fell in love. They were married one warm Thursday on April 16, 1936, and rode home from the wedding in a horse and buggy they had borrowed. Once back from the wedding, Earl still had his chores to do. The happy young couple moved into a home together and began to start their family, with the birth of their first child in 1937. But they didn't stop there. The Doves would add seven more children over the next 23 years, with three boys and five girls filling their home with plenty of love and laughter.

After their first two children were born, Earl and Mary decided to move north of Petoskey, on a slim finger of lakefront named Cross Village, overlooking Lake Michigan. Mary and Earl loved being up north so much, but while its beauty was in overabundance, economic opportunity was not, and the family returned to West Michigan. Back in familiar surroundings, Mary refocused herself on being a wonderful mother, yet Northern Michigan would always hold a very special place in her heart. Most family vacations were spent up north, as the family would load up the wagon and hit the road, stopping alongside the road to set up camp. After a week of camping amongst the towering pines and sandy soil, the family would make the traditional Labor Day Weekend walk of the Mackinac Bridge, which became a family tradition for many years. Another special treat for the kids was going to the movies in Sparta, which was always special, because the whole family couldn't afford to go at the same time.

Family traditions were sacred in the Dove household, and Mary saw to that. Whether it was the traditional cleaning days like their Saturday dusting sessions, or snapping beans and canning pickled beets and tomatoes, the Doves did things together, as a family. Times were often tough for the Doves, and money was often tight, but they always had each other, and they had Mary to hold them all close together. And Mary loved being a mother. She prepared three meals a day, every day, took care of the children (and later on, grandchildren), and made sure the house was always clean. And for so many years, she did it all with no running water in the home. Prior to 1965, the Doves had to pump their water outside and heat it on the stove. What Mary never did, of course, was complain. She was the consummate old-fashioned mother, juggling so many tasks with an effortless, quiet grace. Her children vividly remember the smell as she ironed while helping them recite their memory verses or multiplication tables. She always took care of her children and instilled in them a sense of pride in how they carried themselves. Mary always wanted to look nice, and always did. She made sure her children were always prepared, whether they were visiting friends or having company over, and would make sure the kids were dressed nice and the house was in order. And with her last child being born after she had grandchildren, she truly had plenty to keep in order! But Mary rarely complained about anything, always taking things in stride, always working diligently until the work was done. And it seemed the work was never done, between the kids, the house, or even the rabbits, chickens and goats the family raised. But to Mary, it was all a labor of love. She was very contented with her life, with who she was and what she did. She enjoyed being a mother, and loved the rewards of family. She enjoyed big dinners, and loved get-togethers with the whole family, something she tried to do often in the summertime. She also loved doing word searches and reading, or listening to the Tigers game on the radio, one of her favorite pastimes.

And of course, she enjoyed spending time with her beloved Earl. She and her husband were grounded by their faith in the Lord, and attended Holy Trinity Church for many years, as well as instilling the Rosary in their children. They also set great examples for their children, and never argued, at least in front of the kids. Earl died in 2001, after 65 years of marriage to Mary.

Mary was a humble, hardworking woman, a woman devoted to being a good wife, mother and grandmother. She never tried to glorify what she did or make it more than it was. But she never had to. To her children, she was the greatest mother in the world. And that's all the glory she'd ever ask for. She will be greatly missed.

DOVE - Mrs. Mary E. Dove, age 90 of Comstock Park, passed away January 4, 2006. She was preceded in death by her husband, W. Earl, and by a grandson, Karl Karasiewicz. Mrs. Dove is survived by her children, Albert Bernard Dove, Johanna and Bernard Karasiewicz, Bill and Penny Dove, Mike Dove, Mary Dove, Ruth Dove, Martha Dove and Ann and Tom May; 15 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, January 6 at 11 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 1200 Alpine Church Road. Relatives and friends are invited to meet with Mrs. Dove's family at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Van Strien Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield NE on Thursday from 7-9 p.m. and at the church on Friday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. The Rosary will be prayed at the funeral chapel on Thursday at 7 p.m. Memorial contributions to either the St. Alphonsus Endowment Fund or Holy Trinity Church are appreciated. To read more about Mary's life or to share a favorite memory, please visit www.lifestorynet.com.