Mary Ann Graff Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Graff, Mary Ann May 2, 2020 age 82 of East Lansing. Beloved wife of the late George. Loving mother of Wes (Patty) Graff. Proud grandmother of Amanda Graff and Hannah Graff. A Private Graveside Service will be held in Dewitt, MI. The Graff family is comforted by the fact that based on Mary's deep faith, she is now in the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Mary was an only child born just after the great depression who grew up on her parent's dairy farm in Northwest Ohio. She bathed in a tub in the middle of the kitchen through 6th grade and attended a two-room schoolhouse until high school. Upon graduating, Mary went to Capital University in Columbus, where she earned a two-year teaching certificate due to a shortage of teachers in Ohio. By 19, she was teaching a class of 30 first graders and taking night school classes to complete her bachelor's degree. She met and married George Graff in Columbus, who was a PhD student at Ohio State. From there, they came to MSU, where he was an assistant professor and then later spent most of his career as a lobbyist in Lansing. She worked in the East Lansing schools. They were married for 49 years before his passing in 2011. A very different life than Mary ever imagined on that Ohio farm. For nearly the last 20 years of her life, Mary suffered from a slowly progressing struggle with dementia. She spent the final nine years of her life living under the outstanding care provided by the staff at Sunrise of Northville. Mary contracted the Coronavirus, which she recovered from, but complications from the virus accelerated her advanced dementia to take her life. Memorial contributions may be made to the Plymouth Corps of the Salvation Army, 9451 S. Main Street, Plymouth MI 48170 Their programs help people of need in the communities of Plymouth, Canton, Belleville, and Northville. The Salvation Army offers a food pantry that is seeing high demand and expects needs to increase throughout the summer, given the economic problems resulting from Coronavirus. To share a memory, please use the "Share a memory" tab on this web page.

Mary Ann Graff

October 15, 1937 - May 2, 2020