Obituary for Mary Louise Ivers
Mary Louise Irene Trogan-Ivers
Saginaw Twp., Michigan
Mary Louise Irene Ivers (Trogan), passed away peacefully with her husband by her side on Tuesday, December 27, 2022. She was preceded in death by her parents, Nicholas and Josephine (Accetta) Trogan; as well as her three brothers, Nicholas (Ellen) Trogan, Richard (Dorothy) Trogan, and Joseph (Betty) Trogan; her sisters-in-law-Mary Agnes (Donald) Morris and Theresa (John) Ivers. She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Michael Andrew Ivers; daughter, Marisa Schultz (Chuck) of Plymouth; and son, Michael Patrick (Amy) Ivers of Birmingham. Mary Louise had five grandchildren: Collin Schultz, Grant Schultz, Theodora Ivers, Michael Hamilton Ivers, and Leo Ivers. In addition, she is survived by her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, John Ivers and Kathy Corriveau, respectively. She became an aunt at the very young age of 10 and would go on to be like a sister to her many nephews and nieces.
Mary Louise was born in Saginaw on September 28, 1938. She was the only daughter and the youngest child of Italian immigrants. Her closest sibling was 14 years older. At a very young age, she started working in the family grocery store, Nick Trogan Grocery Store. In 1956, she graduated from St. Peter and Paul High School in Saginaw, MI. She was accepted and began her studies at Michigan State, but she had to withdraw due to illness. She would continue to battle hydrocephalus for the rest of her life.
Mary Louise graduated from Mercy College in Detroit in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in science. She worked in the Dearborn Heights Public School system and, early on in her career, her talents were noticed by the Detroit News when she was awarded their My Favorite Teacher honor in 1968. Education was a primary focus of Mary Louise’s life. She encouraged both of her children to enroll in the honors colleges at Michigan State and earn post bachelor’s degrees.
While she was teaching and living in the Detroit area, she met and married the love of her life, Michael A. Ivers, on September 19, 1970. The newlywed couple settled into the suburbs where they started their family. However, the brief stint in the Detroit area would come to an end in 1977. After the death of her parents, Mary Louise, did not want to see the family business sold to strangers; therefore, the family moved back to Saginaw, and they ran the market until it’s closing in 2001. Mary Louise loved working at the market. Mary Louise, with the vision and entrepreneurial spirt of her husband, owned and operated the market for 23 years, and the neighborhood was better off for having them.
When Mary Louise was not in the market, she found time to work as a substitute teacher in the Saginaw Public Schools. She was always available at the last minute if any teacher called in sick. She would continue to teach as a private tutor for illiterate adults. She took great pride when one of her students achieved the gift of reading. In addition, she taught foreign auto executives and their families. Her responsibilities included assimilating the family into the American culture and teaching English. Mary Louise could empathize with these families as she herself was a first generation American.
Throughout the course of her life, Mary Louise would successfully battle hydrocephalus. She had numerous surgeries under the care of E. Malcom Field. The family owes a debt of gratitude to Dr. Field for undoubtedly extending the life of Mary Louise beyond what many anticipated. The extra years were a true blessing for the family. Mary Louise had numerous brain surgeries, but she recovered from them all. She always found a way to get back up again, dust herself off, and fight another day. The disease warranted many standing eight counts, but it never delivered a knock-out. Mary Louise had strong traits: resistance, perseverance, and a “never give up” attitude. These traits were most likely forged by having three older brothers, working at young age, and being the daughter of immigrants.
Mary Louise had many interests. She loved to paint, and many of her paintings are displayed in the foyer of her home. She was an avid singer while attending mass at St. Thomas Aquinas, where she was a parishioner since 1977. In addition, she sang in the choir at the Germania Country Club. She also enjoyed the social activities of her sorority, Beta Sigma Phi. She loved to travel and enjoyed taking trips with her family to San Francisco, Las Vegas, and her favorite spot, Traverse City. She was a simple person who never needed nor wanted much. She had no interest in trying to impress others. She exuded a sense of inner self-confidence. She could step out of a station wagon and make you think it was a Cadillac. More important than anything else was her love for her family. Mary Louise loved to cook and would have supper ready every night. On Sunday, she would make meatballs, sausage, and pasta and supper was ready by 3:00 p.m. Her front door was always opened to neighbors, friends, and relatives. Often, the kids in the neighborhood would knock on the door and eat supper at her house; then, they would go home and eat again. There was always enough food, and everybody was welcomed. Mary Louise always had good stories to share. During one of her great Thanksgiving Day meals, she was discussing how she had to use one of the big grocery store chains to buy her supplies and how she missed the days of her family’s market. One of the nephews at the table asked, “How did you lift the 25# turkey into your car?” She quipped back, “I didn’t, the manager walked it out for me.” He then responded, “That was nice.” She corrected him and said, “No, it was out of respect.”
Funeral Liturgy will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 5376 State Street. Rev. Fr. Richard Bokinskie will officiate. Interment will take place in Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 11, 2023. Friends may visit at The Snow Funeral Home, 3775 N. Center Rd., (between Shattuck and McCarty), where the family will be present on Monday, January 9, 2023 from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. and on Tuesday at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of Mass. In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to Field Neuroscience Institute, 4677 Town Center Road Suite 101 Saginaw, MI 48604.
Saginaw Twp., Michigan
Mary Louise Irene Ivers (Trogan), passed away peacefully with her husband by her side on Tuesday, December 27, 2022. She was preceded in death by her parents, Nicholas and Josephine (Accetta) Trogan; as well as her three brothers, Nicholas (Ellen) Trogan, Richard (Dorothy) Trogan, and Joseph (Betty) Trogan; her sisters-in-law-Mary Agnes (Donald) Morris and Theresa (John) Ivers. She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Michael Andrew Ivers; daughter, Marisa Schultz (Chuck) of Plymouth; and son, Michael Patrick (Amy) Ivers of Birmingham. Mary Louise had five grandchildren: Collin Schultz, Grant Schultz, Theodora Ivers, Michael Hamilton Ivers, and Leo Ivers. In addition, she is survived by her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, John Ivers and Kathy Corriveau, respectively. She became an aunt at the very young age of 10 and would go on to be like a sister to her many nephews and nieces.
Mary Louise was born in Saginaw on September 28, 1938. She was the only daughter and the youngest child of Italian immigrants. Her closest sibling was 14 years older. At a very young age, she started working in the family grocery store, Nick Trogan Grocery Store. In 1956, she graduated from St. Peter and Paul High School in Saginaw, MI. She was accepted and began her studies at Michigan State, but she had to withdraw due to illness. She would continue to battle hydrocephalus for the rest of her life.
Mary Louise graduated from Mercy College in Detroit in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in science. She worked in the Dearborn Heights Public School system and, early on in her career, her talents were noticed by the Detroit News when she was awarded their My Favorite Teacher honor in 1968. Education was a primary focus of Mary Louise’s life. She encouraged both of her children to enroll in the honors colleges at Michigan State and earn post bachelor’s degrees.
While she was teaching and living in the Detroit area, she met and married the love of her life, Michael A. Ivers, on September 19, 1970. The newlywed couple settled into the suburbs where they started their family. However, the brief stint in the Detroit area would come to an end in 1977. After the death of her parents, Mary Louise, did not want to see the family business sold to strangers; therefore, the family moved back to Saginaw, and they ran the market until it’s closing in 2001. Mary Louise loved working at the market. Mary Louise, with the vision and entrepreneurial spirt of her husband, owned and operated the market for 23 years, and the neighborhood was better off for having them.
When Mary Louise was not in the market, she found time to work as a substitute teacher in the Saginaw Public Schools. She was always available at the last minute if any teacher called in sick. She would continue to teach as a private tutor for illiterate adults. She took great pride when one of her students achieved the gift of reading. In addition, she taught foreign auto executives and their families. Her responsibilities included assimilating the family into the American culture and teaching English. Mary Louise could empathize with these families as she herself was a first generation American.
Throughout the course of her life, Mary Louise would successfully battle hydrocephalus. She had numerous surgeries under the care of E. Malcom Field. The family owes a debt of gratitude to Dr. Field for undoubtedly extending the life of Mary Louise beyond what many anticipated. The extra years were a true blessing for the family. Mary Louise had numerous brain surgeries, but she recovered from them all. She always found a way to get back up again, dust herself off, and fight another day. The disease warranted many standing eight counts, but it never delivered a knock-out. Mary Louise had strong traits: resistance, perseverance, and a “never give up” attitude. These traits were most likely forged by having three older brothers, working at young age, and being the daughter of immigrants.
Mary Louise had many interests. She loved to paint, and many of her paintings are displayed in the foyer of her home. She was an avid singer while attending mass at St. Thomas Aquinas, where she was a parishioner since 1977. In addition, she sang in the choir at the Germania Country Club. She also enjoyed the social activities of her sorority, Beta Sigma Phi. She loved to travel and enjoyed taking trips with her family to San Francisco, Las Vegas, and her favorite spot, Traverse City. She was a simple person who never needed nor wanted much. She had no interest in trying to impress others. She exuded a sense of inner self-confidence. She could step out of a station wagon and make you think it was a Cadillac. More important than anything else was her love for her family. Mary Louise loved to cook and would have supper ready every night. On Sunday, she would make meatballs, sausage, and pasta and supper was ready by 3:00 p.m. Her front door was always opened to neighbors, friends, and relatives. Often, the kids in the neighborhood would knock on the door and eat supper at her house; then, they would go home and eat again. There was always enough food, and everybody was welcomed. Mary Louise always had good stories to share. During one of her great Thanksgiving Day meals, she was discussing how she had to use one of the big grocery store chains to buy her supplies and how she missed the days of her family’s market. One of the nephews at the table asked, “How did you lift the 25# turkey into your car?” She quipped back, “I didn’t, the manager walked it out for me.” He then responded, “That was nice.” She corrected him and said, “No, it was out of respect.”
Funeral Liturgy will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 5376 State Street. Rev. Fr. Richard Bokinskie will officiate. Interment will take place in Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 11, 2023. Friends may visit at The Snow Funeral Home, 3775 N. Center Rd., (between Shattuck and McCarty), where the family will be present on Monday, January 9, 2023 from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. and on Tuesday at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of Mass. In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to Field Neuroscience Institute, 4677 Town Center Road Suite 101 Saginaw, MI 48604.