Phyllis Ann Mazie

With a quick wit and a warm smile, Phyllis Ann Mazie lived a life rich in faith and family. Phyllis embodied the principles of her Catholic faith and welcomed each day with grace and gratitude. A woman who knew no stranger, Phyllis made friends easily and could quickly inspire a smile on the face of the most committed curmudgeon. A safe harbor for others in the face of life’s storms, Phyllis was a comfort and inspiration for many. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, Phyllis will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.

Despite the obvious gloom of the Great Depression, 1931 beheld a power of hope that undulated in the hearts of many. With an innate drive to not just endure but thrive in the face of uncertainty, the nation continued to put one foot in front of the other to build a better future. Nowhere was there a greater sense of hope than in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as Terrence and Elizabeth (Brookstra) Haggerty welcomed their daughter, Phyllis, into their hearts and home on November 25.

A life long Westsider, Phyllis grew up in a home where faith and family values proved the firm foundation upon which Phyllis consciously built the rest of her life. While her father worked in the plaster mines in Grand Rapids, her mother was a homemaker. Born the 12th of the 19 Haggerty children, Phyllis’ childhood was filled with activity. Though Sidney and Dorothy both died at birth, Phyllis grew up in the good company of her many brothers and sisters; Ted, Isabelle, Margaret, Eleanor, Bernie, Bob, Chuck, Jack, Jim, Dan, Pat, Jerry, Sidney,Dorothy,Dick, Delores,Ron, and Don. The family home on Gold Ave SW was rich in tradition, and the family practiced their faith as members of the fellowship at St. James Catholic Church.

Phyllis attended Stocking Street Elementary School and Union High School. Naturally gregarious, Phyllis enjoyed an active social. She loved to hang out with her many friends, roller skating, and dancing at the local Polish halls. Family weddings were also a time when Phyllis hit the dance floors. A member of the class of 1949, Phyllis left school during her senior year to work but later completed her GED.

While dancing at the Polish Falcons Hall in Grand Rapids one evening, Phyllis had the good fortune of meeting James Mazie. Jim asked her to dance, Phyllis said “yes,” and the pair were soon a couple setting their eyes on a future together. On May 18, 1957, at St. James Catholic Church, Phyllis and Jim exchanged their marriage vows, officially beginning their 63-year adventure.

After celebrating their marriage with a reception at Eastern Ave. Hall, the newlyweds moved into an apartment Jim’s grandparents owned. Six months later, they moved to a rental home on Milwaukee Ave. NW where they lived for the next year. During this time, they built a new home on Netherfield in Comstock Park, where they raised their three children; Cheryl, Ken, and Sue.

Like her own parents, Phyllis and Jim created a home centered on faith and family values. A naturally hard worker, Phyllis first found work Dribbin Glass and Mirror on Stocking St. and later worked at Keeler Brass. In time, she was hired at General Motors Fisher Body Plant #2, where she worked for 30 years, and Jim worked at Michigan Plating and Stamping . Their children attended Stoney Creek Elementary and Comstock Park High School and enjoyed many family vacations. They attended Detroit Tigers baseball games and trips to Cedar Point amusement park. They spent a good deal of time exploring Northern Michigan and also traveled to Boston, Massachusetts. Every Sunday, the extended Haggerty Family enjoyed a standing picnic at Long Lake. The days were filled with cooking, swimming, volleyball, fishing, and the good company of a lot of relatives. Family Christmas was celebrated at St. George’s Hall, where Jim played Santa Claus and Phyllis was his Mrs Claus

Highly organized, Phyllis dedicated herself fully to any commitment she made. She took great pride in her appearance and never missed her standing hair appointment. She dressed fashionably, and her nails were always impeccably polished. She and Jim dined at the local Denny’s Restaurant and also enjoyed going to the Filling Station Restaurant. She enjoyed all types of country music and watching The Lawrence Welk Show, Wheel of Fortune, and The Price is Right. She cheered on the Detroit Pistons and Tigers and enjoyed nothing more than watching her great-grandkids playing in her yard. A wonderful grandmother, Phyllis relished in spoiling her grandchildren and never missing their special days. While she loved to sit in her beautiful backyard, enjoying her lovely flowers and lawn ornaments, as her health began to decline in the face of the challenges that came with diabetes, she and Jim somehow made it work, they never gave up

Clearly, it is difficult to imagine life in the absence of Phyllis’ bright and beautiful presence. May we find comfort in our many memories and the knowledge that we carry her legacy forward. With each moment we celebrate our faith, share time with our family at the lake, cheer on our favorite teams, and turn we take on the dance floor with our beloved, we celebrate the many ways Phyllis gifted our lives. In so doing, we keep her spirit alive and inspiring others as she so inspired us.

Phyllis Ann Mazie, aged 88, of Comstock Park, MI, passed away on Sunday, May 31, 2020, with her loving family at her side. She was preceded in death by her parents, Terrence and Elizabeth Haggerty, in-laws, Phyllis (Weston) Lehr, Sam (Marge) Mazie. She is survived by her husband of 63 Years, James R. Mazie; children, Cheryl (Tim) Gray, Ken (Mary) Mazie; Sue (Brian) Braunschneider; grandchildren, Justin Gray (Sarah Zemaitis), Derek Gray, Brent (Theresa) Gray, Brandon Gray (fiancée Amy Sue Miedzielec), Chad (Brittany) Mazie, Dalton Mazie (Ashley Moore), Jacob Braunschneider, Zachary Braunschneider, Nicholas Braunschneider; 7 great-grandchildren; sister, Delores “Corkey” Barszewski; sisters-in-law, Marilyn Mazie, Marge Haggerty, Violet Haggerty, Jo Haggerty, Sid Haggerty; brothers-in-law, Paul (Rena) Mazie, Joe (Erica) Mazie. The 12th of 19 children, she was preceded in death by 12 brothers and 5 sisters.

Everyone is invited to the Mass of Christian Burial which will be celebrated on Thursday, June 4, at 11:00 am at the Basilica of St. Adalbert Catholic Church, 654 Davis Ave. NW, Please meet at the church. Burial in Rosedale Cemetery, Private family visitation on Wednesday evening at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW. Contributions in her memory to St. James Catholic Church. To read more about Phyllis’s life, to sign her guest book, and to leave your own memory of her, visit her web page at www.heritagelifestory.com