Mary Booth

MADISON - Mary (Miller) Booth of Madison, Wis., formerly of Bridgman, Mich., passed away on Sunday, February 2, 2025, at the age of 94. Preceded in death by her brother, Bruce Miller, husband, Elmer, and son-in-law, Richard Closmore, she is survived by her children, Tim Booth (Connie), Tom Booth, Amy Closmore, Mark Booth (Jan), Jayne Baugher and Matt Booth (Michele); six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. The latest in a line of long-lived resilient matriarchs, Mary is remembered for her faith and love of family,

Born in Grand Rapids, Mich., on August 13, 1930, Mary’s childhood was shaped by the Great Depression. Being raised by a single mom she learned the value of extended family and a strong church community.

She briefly worked as a telephone switchboard operator but quickly decided it was not her calling. When she went to quit, a kind boss offered to fire her instead, providing a severance package that she could use for education in a different career. She became an LPN and worked in the healthcare field for 53 years, caring for children with disabilities in a Rehab Hospital and then with the elderly in the nursing home setting. She instilled her value of caring for others and their needs in all of her children.

She met Elmer Booth by chance on a blind date set up by a friend and they married in 1950. They raised six children working hard to make a “better life” for them than what they had both experienced in the depression. They were married 45 years until Elmer’s death in 1995.

Her children and grandchildren remember her as a mother/grandmother who extended her love not just to them but to their friends, keeping an open-door policy. There was always an extra place at the dinner table or a sleeping space in an already crowded home. She loved and welcomed her children/grandchildren’s significant others with open arms.

Mary worked the night shift as a nurse so she could be home to keep a close eye on and care for her own children as they came home from school. This nighttime wakefulness served valuable when her children and grandchildren grew older, as she was known to sit up with them and talk long into the night, watching movies and eating popcorn.

The family moved to Bridgman in 1977, and she was able to fulfill her dream of living near Lake Michigan. Mary loved the water, and “Grandma’s Beach” became a beloved family gathering place, especially for the Fourth of July, when the clan would come to swim, picnic, light fireworks, and play extremely competitive games of Spoons.

She was always active in her church community, and with children grown and moved away she volunteered in the Hospice community. She continued to work as a nurse in the Bridgman community nursing home and after Elmer passed away, she was instrumental in running grief groups in her church.

Mary loved traveling and often accompanied Elmer on business trips, including to Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Las Vegas, and later, to visit her far-flung children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in Florida, Arizona, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Chicago, Portland and Nashville. This also included family trips to Florida for Thanksgiving, eating crab on the beach and thawing out from the Michigan cold.

She moved to Madison in 2017 and into Oakwood Village, where she remained active in their community and especially enjoyed the weekly happy hour gatherings with friends on her floor.  She loved to attend the symphony, concerts on the square and taking the bus with Oakwood friends to activities.

Always up for new food experiences she appreciated eating at supper clubs and new restaurants but was most proud when her sons and grandsons were there to make her a cocktail or cook her a meal.

In later years she enjoyed keeping up with her grandkids and great-grandkids on Instagram and her last goal in life, although not achieved, was to live to experience the upcoming birth of her ninth great-grandchild. She lives on in her loving spirit, memories shared, and values instilled.

There will be a family graveside service later this year in Grand Rapids, Mich., and a celebration of her life at her favorite beach in Bridgman, Mich. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to an organization working to provide healthcare or food to those in need around the world, such as Doctors without Borders or World Central Kitchen, or calling or writing your Congressional representatives to voice your support for American foreign assistance.   

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420