Kathleen Mara Priest

Kathleen Mara Priest, age 80 of Grand Rapids passed away on May 10, 2023. Kathy was born on March 7, 1943 and was the youngest of five kids. She is preceded in death by her mother and father, Hazel and Edwin Fitzgerald, her sisters Margaret Rice and Anne Fitzgerald, and her brothers Mike Fitzgerald and John Fitzgerald. She is survived by her husband of 58 years Terrance Priest and his sister Sue Waite, her children Dan (Janice) Priest, Theresa (Todd) Sukup, Tom (Michelle) Priest, Mary (Rodney) Walker, Tim (Laurie) Priest, Elizabeth (Steve) Boshoven, and Matt (Kristen) Priest; grandchildren, Tim Priest, Ben (Audrey) Walker, Mike (Lauren) Priest, Mason (Tucker) Klatt, Sarah Priest, Katie Priest, Sam Priest, Steven Priest, Shane Priest, Jack Boshoven, Emme Priest, Erin Sukup, Joe Boshoven, Izzy Priest, Ryan Boshoven, Charlie Boshoven, Ruby Priest, and Iris Priest; great-grandchildren Finnegan Klatt and Lincoln Walker. Kathy went to Marywood Academy, Aquinas College, fell in love with a great guy, got married, taught music, and had seven kids. To many people, she was a stay-at-home mom, but her husband Terry and children knew what that involved... On any given day or night, she could be any or all of the following…private detective, small business owner, spiritual advisor, complaint department supervisor, complaint rejection notifier, warden, comedian, counselor, loan officer, accountant, baker, short order cook, emergency responder, nurse, entertainer, and official family spokesperson to both total strangers and good friends. She was quick to share her opinion or make a joke. She loved to sing and was a talented musician. She was a faithful lifelong Catholic. She juggled a checkbook like a circus performer for a family of nine. Our kitchen hosted long conversations with neighbors, family, and friends, with gallons of hot coffee and just the “slightest hint” of cigarette smoke. She loved an audience, and a favorite topic was her kids. She was doing side hustles before they were a thing… childcare, baking cakes, piano lessons, knitting and hitting the craft show circuit. As a mom she was more “I Love Lucy” than June Cleaver, with a lot of jokes, schemes, and characters. She raised seven kids, who all went on to raise their kids with a sense of humor and busy households of their own. If Heaven is what we wish for, right now Kathy is hitting a jackpot on a slot machine or shouting “Bingo!” (or even better both). She is cracking jokes, singing and playing along with a choir, or just grabbing a cup of coffee with old friends and making new ones. She is talking about all of us kids, grandchildren, and great grandchildren and the things we do with anyone she meets, and her Heaven is that she has a bunch of stories and a whole new audience to share them with for eternity. She is loved and missed. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday May 16, 2023 at 11:00 am at Holy Spirit Church where she will repose one hour prior to the Mass. Interment Resurrection Cemetery. Her family will receive visitors Monday May 15, 2023 from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm at the Arsulowicz Brothers Remembrance Mortuary, 3525 Remembrance Rd NW. Our family would like to thank the caregivers from Hospice of West Michigan for their help and support during a difficult time. We want to thank the staff of Holiday Lincoln Square and the AdvisaCare staff for the kindness and care as well. We appreciate everything you did for Kathy and our family.

Tributes

Kathleen Mara Priest

March 7, 1943 - May 10, 2023