Mary A. Cornils, age 85, of Dexter, MI, passed away on March 29, 2022 at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital. Mary was born on August 18, 1936 in Carroll, IA, the daughter of Walter and Anna Mae (Knott) Reiff. She grew up in Manilla, IA, where in high school she was a state competitor in basketball, coming in 2nd place in Iowa for free throws and earning a college basketball scholarship.
Mary married James M. Cornils on July 6, 1956 in Manilla, IA. They moved to the Dexter area in 1967 where she joined the parish of St. Joseph Catholic Church and became active as a life-long member. As a member of the parish, she was active in many ministries, including the Faith Sharing Group, eucharistic ministry, hospitality ministry, Folk Music group, parishioner marriage preparation, the Scholarship Committee, the Finance Committee, and the St. Leo's soup kitchen (Detroit). She also volunteered for the church in very many other aspects.
Her education after high school began with nursing school in Sioux City, IA. She later changed direction to study Special Education and become a teacher. She received her Bachelor's degree and Master's degree from Eastern Michigan University, graduating Summa Cum Laude.
Mary especially loved young children and spent her career at Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI. At the hospital she helped children with long term stays and meeting their educational needs. She retired from the University of Michigan MedRehab in 1996.
Mary was an accomplished bridge player, an avid reader, extensive traveler, and dedicated Jeopardy fan. She supported many cultural organizations in the Dexter and Ann Arbor communities. Her kindness and selflessness were remarkable, always putting others first and taking care of others' needs before her own. Her love and support for her family and friends was immeasurable.
She is survived by her husband, James, five children, James, Jr. of Dexter, Allison Edwards of Ann Arbor, Peter (Pauline) Cornils of Battle Creek, MI, Patrick (Leslie Robles) of Rancho Palos Verde, CA, and Steven (Rebecca Biederman) of Portland OR; five grandchildren, Alex Edwards (Adrian Griffin) of Lakewood, OH, Tristan Edwards of Las Vegas, NV, Camille Cornils of Chicago, IL, Miles Cornils of Battle Creek, MI and Daniel Cornils of Portland, OR; her siblings: William (Judy) Reiff of Omaha, NE, and Peg (Ernie) Shelton of Des Moines, IA, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Carol F. Cornils, two brothers, James Reiff and Robert Reiff, and her son-in-law, Terry Edwards.
Visitation will be held Sunday, April 3, 2022 from 4-7 p.m. at the St. Joseph Catholic (country) Church, 6805 Mast Road, Dexter, with a scripture service at 7:00 p.m.
Mass of Christian Burial will be prayed on Monday, April 4, 2022, 11:00 a.m. at the St. Joseph (village) Church, 3430 Dover Street, Dexter, with Fr. Brendan Walsh presiding. The family will receive friends at the church on Monday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. A luncheon will follow. A private burial will occur at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to either St. Joseph Catholic Church, Faith in Action, or the Encore Musical Theater in Dexter.
Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home.
