Mary M. Duggan

Let the light shine bright on Mary Margaret Duggan, a woman who believed in the rights of women and the right to happiness -- her own Declaration of Independence. Mary, who passed away Saturday, April 24th at the age of 81, was the second child born to Michael and Anne Duggan on April 4, 1929, and a loving sister to Dennis, Geraldine and Leona, who have all preceded her in death. Both of Mary's parents emigrated from the war-torn Ireland of the 1920s, and Mary remained especially proud of her Irish heritage. Since her father died young --- just a few years after Mary was born -- Mary, her older brother, her two younger sisters, and their Mother, had a rough row to hoe. They found shelter in the arms of Detroit's Saint Gregory the Great Parish and with family and friends. Besides being a loving sister and daughter, she was affectionately known to seven nieces and nephews and eight grand nieces and nephews as Aunt Mary. She always made time for them. Mary truly was "there" for her family. The sky was the limit for them, in terms of her doling out time, love and affection for her fifteen "kids." Mary became quite attached to St. Gregory's very early in life and remained active in the parish with reunions and special masses until she became too ill to participate. Many of the friends she made, and she made many friends, came from her continuing St. Gregory experience. She also belonged for many years to Our Lady Queen of Hope parish in Detroit and St. Aidan parish in Livonia. A career accountant who supplemented her high school education with many college classes, Mary spent most of her working life at Birmingham and Oakland Hills country clubs. The latter club landed many top golf tournaments and while those always meant a lot of extra work for her and her staff, Mary enjoyed the excitement of the events. In spite of some rough times during the last years of her long tenure at Oakland, Mary remembered the good times and remained very fond of the friends she met at Oakland Hills. Mary Duggan loved her friends and family dearly, and she was proud of the strong work ethic instilled in her primarily by her mother, who she lived with cared for until Anne died in 1987. Despite suffering through and surmounting serious illnesses and tremendous losses for the last third of her life, Mary remained an extremely positive person. Even in her last hospital stay, which led to her death, she remarked, "I still think life is beautiful." Beloved daughter of the late Anne and late Michael Duggan. Dear sister of the late Dennis Duggan, the late Geraldine (Charles) Wright and the late Leona (Frank) Murphy. Loving aunt of Nancy Duggan; Noranne (Eugene) Morin, Timothy Wright; Terrence (Kim Lawton), the late Thomas, John (Dianne), and Michael (Kathy) Murphy. Devoted grand aunt of Rebecca and Maegan Morin; Michael and Angela Wright; Allison and Brendan Lawton, and Francis and Thomas Murphy. Visitation will be held from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. with rosary at 7:30 p.m. at R.G. and G.R. Harris Funeral Home, 15451 Farmington Road, Livonia, (734) 422-6720. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at St. Aidan's Church with visitation at 11:00 a.m., 17500 Farmington Road, Livonia, staidaninformation.com. Memorials may be directed to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Share a memory of Mary with her family by signing the online guestbook. Funeral Home: R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Home and Cremation Services 15451 Farmington Rd. Livonia, MI US 48154