Mary Alice (Sedlecky) Tarchinski

Mary Alice (Sedlecky) Tarchinski, 94, passed into the comforting arms of the angels on April 23. She was born Mary Alice Sedlecky on July 14, 1930 to Arthur and Dorothy Sedlecky, in Battle Creek. Mary was one of 4 children with three brothers; Richard, Jimmy and David. She married Richard Tarchinski on Aug. 5, 1950. Theirs was a special relationship. When they celebrated their 73th wedding anniversary, they renewed their vows and coverage of the event made the national news. They had nine children together and made their home in Wyoming, Walker and later Allendale. Their children include Rick (Pamm) Tarchinski, of Harbor Springs; Diane (Jim) Hora, of Cadillac; Mary Tarchinski, of Midland; Linda (Brian Carpenter) Leroux; Ann (Jim) Rusky, of Grand Rapids; Cyndi (Chris) Lieske, of Rockford and Keith (Janene) Tarchinski of Holland. Two sons, Daniel and William predeceased Mary. Her cherished family members include 23, grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren. Mary’s departure is felt deeply, in that not only are we deprived of her loving presence, but her loss severs a connection to our family history lineage and treasured memories of family, as both she and her husband are the last living members of their family of origin. Mary was proud of her life’s calling as a homemaker and embraced this work with her whole heart. She was endlessly creative, and her children have happy memories of the windows she painted to celebrate the Apollo 11 Moon landing or when The Detroit Tigers won the1968 World Series, the many items of clothing she made by hand and dozens of homemade Halloween costumes. She was a lifelong learner. She attended Grand Valley State University and took art and ceramics; and learned to work with stained glass. Her works of art remain prized possessions of her children and grandchildren. Mary’s Catholic faith was a key piece of her identity. She attended St. Francis Xavier, was a 1949 graduate of Catholic Central, and most recently attended St Luke University parish in Allendale, MI. She and her husband were living examples of their trust in God, to their children and grandchildren. She spent many beloved years with her husband at a cottage they built on Wolf Lake near Baldwin. Her children and grandchildren treasure their memories of days spent at the cottage with her. They made lifelong family friends, the Hogans at Wolf Lake. She loved snowmobiling, swimming and sitting by the campfire with her family. Many people in Mary’s community benefitted from her generosity, often unknowingly. Despite Mary’s full and busy schedule as a mother of 9 children, she always found time and resources to give to others, notably food, gifts or even something as simple as handmade doll clothes for a child in need. She was involved in the many activities of her children’s lives. They recall how she made many candies and cookies for their teachers and friends during the holidays. She served as a Den mother for Boy Scouts and a leader for Campfire Girls for many years. Some of Mary’s happiest days were spent with Richard at their retirement home in Tampa, Florida for several years. She made many friends at the Gateway Mobile Home Park. In later years, she and her husband became residents at Villa Maria, in Grand Rapids; American House, in Wyoming; and most recently Green Acres of Greenville. No matter where they lived, Mary and her husband became favorites of the staff members for their kindness and sense of humor. They found and made friends wherever they lived. Not surprisingly, they nurtured the friendships with caregivers they made in their final days. Her family is especially grateful to the staff at Gentiva Hospice and Green Acres of Greenville, and all those along the way who made Mary’s final days comfortable and meaningful. We’re going to miss her dearly. After a lifetime of care and service to others may flights of angels sing her to her rest. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday 4/25/2025 at 11:00 am at St. Luke’s Church Allendale where her family will receive one hour prior to the Mass.

Tributes

Mary Alice (Sedlecky) Tarchinski

July 14, 1930 - April 23, 2025