Mary Edith Nelson-Pulice

NELSON-PULICE Mary Edith Age 82, of Ypsilanti. September 20, 2014. Beloved wife of the late Nick ("Tom") for nearly 53 years. Loving mother of Timothy, dear grandmother of Zoë. The eldest child of Clarissa Mae Forsyth and James Jerome Nelson, she was born January 2, 1932 in the family kitchen in Depression-era Detroit. Mary was the sister of James Nelson, Lois Nelson, Judith Bird, and Kathleen Cunningham, and the late Patricia Pickrahn. She is survived by many nieces, nephews, and in-laws, as well as close friends Virginia McLaughlin and George Baker. At Eastern High School in Detroit, Mary was a competitive diver, and she wrote a school newspaper column, "Around Town with M.E.N." - the acronym corresponded with her initials. In school, she recognized Plate Tectonics before this scientific theory even had a name. A voracious reader and life-long learner, in her fifties Mary earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in English Literature from Wayne State University. As further evidence of her deep affection for words, she also learned Old English. Recently, she took adult education computer courses at Washtenaw Community College, and became an Internet user in her eighties. Mary was a fan of British television and Scandinavian mysteries. She also loved short stories and essays, and "The Great Courses" lecture series. She particularly enjoyed the writings of Jane Austen, Shakespeare, Molly Ivins, Kurt Vonnegut, and Agatha Christie; the political satire of Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and John Oliver; and the films of Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, and John Ford. In 1973, Mary took a weeklong rafting trip down the Colorado River with her husband and son, and later traveled with them to England for two weeks in London and the surrounding countryside. She also treasured the old stone family house on the shore of Lake Huron. She had a great laugh, was quick witted, generous, wise, perceptive, and knowledgeable. Mary looked below the surface of literature and society, and thought her loved ones' laughter was the greatest sound in the world. She also was a longtime member of the National Organization for Women. Mary worked at Lupatin Welding, Gale Research, American House, and elsewhere. She and her husband were married on July 9, 1955, a record-breaking, 102-degree Saturday. They lived more than 40 years in their comfortable, inviting Warren home, where family and friends often gathered for memorable swimming and holiday parties. When those she adored were together having fun, she liked to quote Kurt Vonnegut, "If this isn't nice, what is?" Mary lived her last three years in Ypsilanti to be near her son and his family. The family would like to express thanks to the staffs of St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor and Heartland of Ann Arbor for their care and kindness during Mary's illness. A memorial service is planned for Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, spring 2015, exact date pending. Mary's cremains will be buried with those of her husband, who served in the U.S. Army in Korea, including time as a medic with a MASH unit, and who passed away in 2008. Memorial donation suggestions include the Michigan Humane Society, the National Breast Cancer Foundation, and the Ypsilanti District Library. Please share a personal memory of Mary by signing her guestbook. As Mary might have said, "Read, swim, be kind, make [the best] spaghetti sauce…and walk the dog!" Funeral Home: R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Home and Cremation Services 15451 Farmington Rd. Livonia, MI US 48154