Obituary of Mary Dempsey

Mary M. Dempsey, a longtime Dundee resident and an advocate for the rights of people with developmental disabilities, died Monday, March 10, 2014 at Arbor Hospice Residence in Ann Arbor. She was 83. Friends may call Friday from 1 to 8 p.m. at Cover Funeral Home in Dundee. Funeral services are Saturday at 11 a.m. at St. Gabriel's Catholic Church in Dundee. Officiating will be Rev. Dr. Michael Woroniewicz, pastor of the church. Burial will be at Maple Grove Cemetery in Dundee. While raising seven children, including a son with intellectual challenges, Mrs. Dempsey became a disability rights activist. She was a member of the Arc of Monroe from its earliest years. In 2007, she retired from its board of directors. She also served for many years as Monroe County’s representative to the board of directors of the Arc of Michigan. Her mantra was "Get involved, stay informed and make a difference." In the 1970s when county and state mental health officials became interested in group homes for people with developmental disabilities, Mrs. Dempsey testified in hearings before the Michigan state legislature and was credited with raising lawmakers' awareness of the challenges faced by parents and guardians. For many years she and other volunteers monitored group homes to ensure that residents' rights were protected. She also helped organize a county support group to educate the public on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Mrs. Dempsey was born in Toronto, Canada. She married William A. Dempsey and they lived in the Toronto area until 1958 when Mr. Dempsey, an engineer for Ontario-based St. Lawrence Cement Co., was sent to Dundee to begin work on a Michigan cement plant. The Dempseys spent two years in Dundee then moved on to other St. Lawrence projects in New York, Illinois and Missouri. In 1967, the family returned permanently to Dundee. In 2008, Mrs. Dempsey became a U.S. citizen. Family was important to Mrs. Dempsey. She is survived by her children Patricia and Michael of Dundee; Maureen (Joe Fileccia) and John (Teresa) of Tecumseh; Brian (Victoria) of New Boston; Colleen (Patrick Doyle) of Hillsboro, Ore.; and Mary Ann of Washington, D.C. Additional survivors include her grandchildren Brendan, Stephen, Brianna, Lauren, Ashley, Liam and Logan Dempsey; Sarah and Jill Doyle; Andrea Bowen, great granddaughter, Matilda Bowen; four sisters; two brothers and 73 nieces and nephews. Her husband died in 2001 on the eve of the couple's 46th anniversary. A brother also preceded her in death. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Arc of Macomb County or the Mon-Arc of Monroe.