Mary J. Schwartz

Mary J. Schwartz was a hard worker who dedicated her life to her beloved husband, children, and grandkids. Each day she prayed the rosary for her family and friends, a tradition which gave her peace and strength. No matter the obstacles ahead, Mary was optimistic and hard-working, always the source of support and strength for her family and close friends.

The year 1920 marked the beginning of a new era in the United States. With the end of the Great War, the economy boomed to meet the needs of a growing country. Jazz music flourished over radios and in dance halls, and movie theaters enjoyed an increasing popularity. It was a happy time filled with celebration—and for Joseph Endres and his wife Anna Witkam, this was especially true. On January 2, 1920, they welcomed their fourth child Mary into their home in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Mary enjoyed a typical childhood in her hometown of Grand Rapids, where she grew up with her four siblings, Adrian, Charles, Dorothy, and Joseph. Their father worked at Grodon Grocery before opening his own garage business as a mechanic. He later took his mechanic skills to the cab company, while their mother stayed at home to raise the children and keep the house. Joseph and Anna raised their children in St. Alphonsus Church, which practiced the traditional Catholic faith. Here Mary was baptized, confirmed, and also took her first Holy Communion. Like her siblings, she also attended St. Alphonsus’ School.

For food, and also for fun, Mary and her family often hunted rabbit, deer, and small game. It was Mary’s job to dress and prepare the game for dinner, a skill she learned from her father. They often hunted in Traverse City and Cadillac. The Endres family also visited a cabin owned by Joseph's son, Adrian, located on Butterfield Lake. This cabin was also a gathering place for family reunions.

After St. Alphonsus School, Mary enrolled at Davis Tech and attended through the twelfth grade. High school was an exciting time in Mary’s life. She was very involved in many of the school’s activities, and she also enjoyed her classes, especially those dealing with English and grammar. Though she was not much of a book reader, she enjoyed the newspaper and always kept up to speed on current events. For the rest of her life, she would always read the daily paper. She also enjoyed going to Bingo.

Just after graduating from Davis Tech, Mary met a handsome young man named Clemence Schwartz. They began dating, and a tradition soon developed between Clemence and Mary’s mother: whenever he stopped by to visit, he would bring some draft beer with him. The young couple quickly fell in love, and on August 2, 1939 they were married at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church.

After marriage, Mary and Clemence settled into an apartment on the West Side and later moved to the Northeast side of Grand Rapids, where Clemence found work delivering coal to local residences. On July 8, 1940 they were blessed with their first child, Lucille. Though Mary was eager to have more children, the Second World War soon required Clemence’s service. Toward the end of the war, older men were sent to the army to relieve the younger soldiers who were already serving. In the year 1944, Clemence was among those men sent overseas; but with the end of the war near, he soon returned home safely.

After the war, Mary and Clemence bought the house at 1108 Ionia Ave. NW; she and her family would call this “home” for more than forty years. They were soon blessed with more children. Clemence Jr. was born on March 31, 1945, followed several years later by Rosemary on August 31, 1954 and Gerald November 21, 1955.

In the spirit of her own education, Mary raised her children in the Catholic Church and its schools. Lucille and Rosemary both graduated from Catholic Central, while Clemence graduated from St. Joseph Seminary and Gerald graduated from West Catholic High School.

While the kids were growing up, Clemence worked for Fox Delux Brewery in Grand Rapids and, later, the General Motors Diesel Plant. Meanwhile, Mary was a homemaker, and just like her own mother, she kept a neat house and focused her energies on raising her kids. The church remained an integral part of her life, and she and Clem played an active role within the St. Alphonsus Parish. Mary also helped out with the school, especially when her children were attending, by working as a playground supervisor.

Mary was a wonderful baker and cook, and her delicious meals always beckoned a full dinner table. Her favorite meal was chicken thighs, one of the family’s traditional Sunday meals. Mary also liked beef and other meats, and she often put these dishes together by using her pressure cooker. Thanksgiving was always a major holiday for the Schwartz family, and Mary always put together a splendid dinner at the home on Ionia NW. But as far as her family and friends were concerned, Mary’s baking was her best talent in the kitchen. She made the best apple pie, and her oatmeal and peanut butter cookies were famous too.

For the most part, Mary and Clem were homebodies who preferred the company of family and close friends to an evening out on the town. They were both avid card players, and on the weekends they would visit friends to play Canasta, Setback, and Piedro. But for Mary, the ideal party was a birthday party. The family would often gather at Lucille’s home in Marne, where they would celebrate amid lots of “cream and cake.”

In the year 1980, just a couple years after his retirement, Clem passed away. It was very difficult for Mary to say goodbye, but her faith in God and her tough-minded character helped her through her grief.

In 1988, Mary said another difficult goodbye. After more than forty years in the house on Ionia Avenue, she decided to sell the land to an expanding company named AutoDie. Rather than moving into an apartment, Mary settled into a new house at 223 Carrier across from St. Al’s Church. She enjoyed taking care of the house, and until the late 1990’s she did all of her own yard work and snow shoveling.

But in the late 1990’s, Mary began experiencing pain in her hip. She soon learned that she’d need to undergo knee replacement surgery, which would later be followed by hip replacement surgery. It was a difficult period in her life, but Mary always kept her spirits high by focusing on the blessings in her life. In these later years, she was especially pleased to see her family grow with the births of several grandchildren and great grandkids.

In April Mary’s health began to decline, and after 3 visits to the hospital, she suffered a bad fall, and soon after stroke. It was during her last hospital stay at St. Mary's that she died peacefully, on Mother's Day, with her loving family at her side.

Mary was a devout woman, who dedicated her life to her Lord and her family. She will be frequently remembered by the many people whose lives she touched.

On Sunday, May 8, 2005, Mary died. She was preceded in death by her husband Clemence, her grandson, Mark Jakuchunas, and her grandson, Joseph Schwartz. She is survived by her children, Lucille Jakuchunas of Kentwood, Clemence and Kathleen Schwartz of Grand Rapids, Rosemary and Josh Manby of Kentwood, Gerald and Sylvia Schwartz of Grand Rapids; 12 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren; her sister-in-law, Joyce Endres; many nieces, nephews and friends. Mary was a life member of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church where the Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday afternoon, May 11, 2005 at 12:30 PM. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet her family at the Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – Van Strien Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield NE on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM, and again at the church on Wednesday from 11:30 until the time of Mass. The parish rosary will be prayed on Tuesday evening at 7:00 PM. Please visit Mary’s personal webpage at www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave your memories of her, sign her guest book and make contributions in her memory to St. Alphonsus Church Foundation or the Lacks Center of St. Mary’s Hospital.HERITAGE LIFE STORY FUNERAL HOMES