2025 05 Mary Jean Finnegan obituary

Mary Jean (Finnegan) Ryan, longtime resident of Royal Oak Michigan – birth date 11 August 1930 during the Perseid meteor shower; death on the full flower moon of May 12, 2025. Jean was born in the same Pickett Road farmhouse in Parma, Michigan as her mother and grandmother before her. The year was 1930 and growing up during the great depression had a profound impact on the trajectory of her life. As a toddler, her family was quarantined due to a whooping cough outbreak.  Facing this constraint, and with several children to care for, her parents made the difficult decision to move under the cover of night to a remote area in rural Northern Michigan. Jean grew up food insecure in a rough shack covered with tar paper – it had no indoor plumbing or running water. This rural area was without electricity until liberal policies introduced electrical connection in 1951 – after Jean was an adult.

Jean started her career as a medical technologist and in 1955 married William “Pat” Ryan, her partner in both dreams and unwavering integrity for 69 years until his death. Jean was a caregiver for most of her life – to younger siblings in the family home, as a favorite adult to her niece Annette (Ryan) Kersting, and to her own 5 children - Mary Ryan (Detroit MI), Norah Ryan (Royal Oak MI), Pat Ryan (Ferndale MI), Ruth Lessard (Pleasanton CA) and Clare Mulholland.

Jean opened her home and heart to love others, especially including her nephew and godson Richard Westergard and her son in law Ron Lessard. Aunt Jean was substitute grandmother to Dick’s daughters Britt Westergard (Brad Sporleder) and Kirsten Westergard (Locke Newell). Jean regarded Jessica Sheets (Ryan Belanger) as a second beloved granddaughter, and extended kindness and grace to Bryce Vredevoogd, the father of her great-grandson. Each of them didn't just feel her love, they lived in it, quite literally. That house on Farnum, which she and her husband chose at the beginning of their journey together, became a home for generations to come.

Jean was primary caregiver when her husband Pat began to decline, impressively keeping up this work through her 94th birthday.

Jean’s impact on others was monumental – she personified wisdom, encouraged empathy and lived her ideals, emphasizing education and setting an example when as an adult she graduated with a college degree in anthropology from Oakland University. Her fieldwork interviewing immigrants and asylum seekers from South and Central America provided insight into the lives of others.

She garnered a ‘red file’ during the McCarthy era through her advocacy to introduce fluoride in the local water treatment process, in order to prevent tooth decay. She actively protested for workers rights, civil rights and social justice issues like the unfairness of cash bail. In this, Jean was carrying on a long family tradition; her ancestors included Quakers from the time of British Colonial America who advocated for inclusion of freedom of religion in the US Constitution and an Irish immigrant who served the Union during the Civil War. Her father was a Farrier during WWI.

Jean set a marvelous example on maintaining physical and mental health, taking up exercise with gusto in middle age with the encouragement of her children and son-in-law Ron. Be kind, don’t gossip, keep moving.

Jean was predeceased by her husband Pat, daughters Andrea, Clare Mulholland (and partner Robert Mulholland), Jim Johnson (partner of Mary Ryan), six sisters – Lucile Westergard, Rita Crites, Pat Finnegan, Elizabeth Finnegan, Theresa Sivrais and Elsie Lord.

Following her death on 12 May 2025, Jean is survived by her brother Bud Finnigan and by her children who remain shocked by the accident that precipitated her death – a horribly traumatic fall head first down a flight of stairs. Jean made her wishes clear in a carefully documented DNR that assisted her children in making difficult and loving decisions to prevent her from further suffering.

Jean leaves behind her beloved granddaughter Ryan Vaughan, great grandson Ezra Vredevoogd, and Ryan’s father William Vaughan. She is also survived by a multitude of family who valued her throughout her life as an inspirational person.

Jean donated her body to science (Wayne State University) and she will be remembered by those who loved her.