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On March 26, 2022, Mary Ellen Mynning passed away at the age of 74. She was born October 21, 1947 in Ann Arbor, MI, the daughter of Donald M. Mynning, Jr. and Margaret (Merkel) Mynning. Mary Ellen is survived by her cherished son, Matthew Harwood of Ypsilanti, sisters, Beverly (Dennis) Schumann of Chelsea, Gloria (Steven) Feldkamp of Chelsea; nephews, Nick (Jen) Schumann and Brian (Emily) Feldkamp; nieces, Missy (Garth) Baize and Dana (Steve) Strobel; her extended family, Laine (Jeannie) Lu and Mary’s precious granddaughters, Emmalina, Karalena, and Angelina of Oregon. Mary Ellen was preceded in death by her parents, Don Jr. and Margaret Mynning, her oldest son, Johnny Harwood, and brother, Edward Mynning.
In her early years, Mary and her boys took a two-month vacation and camped across the country. Enjoying their many adventures from Banff, Canada, across the Pacific Northwest panning for gold and climbing mountains, cave hunting and looking for waterfalls, and back across to the east coast and eating lobster in Bar Harbor.
Once back home, she studied liberal arts at Washtenaw Community College, from there she pursued her bachelor’s degree in English language and literature at Eastern Michigan University. She was an instructor at Washtenaw Community College for seven years. Mary was a prolific writer and won numerous awards for her poems.
In 1991, she embarked on a new adventure of her lifetime. She journeyed over to China and was a foreign expert at Tianjin University and a foreign expert at University of Science and Technology Beijing, teaching English to the students, for four years. Mary would submit articles of her life in China to the Dexter Leader, Ann Arbor News and Chelsea Standard. She met her best friend, Gang Lu (aka) Laine, who came to the United States where Mary Ellen mentored him.
Once back in the States, she worked at the University of Michigan, retiring in the year 2000. She lived in Cranbrook apartments in Ann Arbor and loved her friends Barb, Betsy, Diane and Carol.
Her life-long friend since 3rd grade at St. Joseph Catholic School in Dexter, MI, Marianne Scott Kessel shared many good times, sad times, and they always continued their loyalty to each other. Karen Briggs was another dear friend to Mary. They both experienced many highs and lows throughout their friendship.
Mary Ellen loved her nieces, nephews, and cousins and appreciated all their prayers, love, and support during her years of poor health. We will miss her many stories that brought us to laughing tears.
Mass of Christian Burial will be prayed on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, 11:00 a.m., at St. Joseph Village Church, 3430 Dover Street, Dexter, with Fr. Brendan J. Walsh presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Dexter, Michigan.
Visitation will be held on Monday, April 4, 2022 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea, also on Tuesday at the church from 10-11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Franciscan Project, Sr. Ann Mahaney and Sr. Patty Hackett of St. Mary Catholic Church, Chelsea, MI.
