Obituary: Mary Blossom

Mary Blossom, 1927-2021

Mary Elizabeth Tuckerman Blossom passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 13, 2021 in Jackson Michigan. She was 93 years old.

After graduating from Cement City High School in 1945, Mary finished a 1-year rural teacher program at County Normal College in Blissfield, Michigan. At age 19, Mary started teaching at the same one-room country school she attended in Somerset. While teaching full time, Mary earned a BA in Education from Eastern Michigan University and married her high school sweetheart, Maynard Blossom, in 1951. They spent their life together in Jackson, Cheboygan, Sparta, East Lansing, and finally Manchester, Michigan.

Mary, being a kid-at-heart, succeeded in making the learning fun. For example, each fall she solicited transformed her third grade classroom into a Halloween fun-house; she organized field trips for the students to watch plays and musicals in Detroit, Lansing and elsewhere; she procured handmade marionettes for the children to create and perform their own plays; she hosted migrant farm workers’ children to annual summer swimming parties; and she organized countless classroom adventures.

Mary was an active member of the Emanuel United Church of Christ and a lifelong volunteer of numerous causes. She has baked over 500 cherry, peach, and apple pies in these volunteer efforts. Mary was awarded the coveted Clare Reck Volunteer-of-the-Year award in 1999 for outstanding community service. During a 20-year period of volunteering at the Chelsea Community Hospital, Mary purchased two life size “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” piñatas in Houston and engaged the flight crew to help her safely transport these very large, attention-getting items to Michigan. Mary donated these piñatas to a fundraiser at the hospital, which were the most profitable items that year.

Finally, a note about Mary and Maggie Tapping … special friends until the end. When residents saw Maggie’s white car with elderly Maggie driving and Mary barely seeing out the passenger seat, they knew to stay away. Maggie didn’t look when backing out of her parking spot. She just put the car in reverse and hit the gas.

Mary is survived by three children and their spouses: Liz Blossom of Manchester, Cindy and Gary Pilbeam of Jonesville, Tom and Laura Blossom of Lafayette Louisiana, and Debbie and Bill Kastanis of Manchester. She also is survived by 9 grandchildren and several great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Maynard, her parents, Ray and Blanch Tuckerman and her son, Garry Blossom.

Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Blossom family has decided to postpone a memorial service for our mother until we can safely gather together. We look forward to reminiscing with friends and family when that time comes to celebrate her happy, full life.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested the Emanuel United Church of Christ, Manchester. Please visit www.themanchestermirror.com for a more detailed summary of Mary Blossom’s wonderful life or leave a message of comfort for Mary’s family or sign her guestbook at www.EinederFuneralHomes.com.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.