Mary Louise (McRae) Daane passed away peacefully at home with her family by her side on May 22,2024.
MaryLou was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 5, 1928. At the age of 10, her family moved to the metro area of New York City, and she graduated from MT Vernon High School in 1946, where she was a member of the Rifle Club. She remembered carrying her rifle on the train and bus to school and events.
She attended Hope College, where she met her future husband, Robert Daane; she graduated in 1950 with a teaching degree in Spanish, and they were married on June 16, 1950, and started their life together in Grand Haven. They lived briefly in Williamsburg, Virginia and Allamuchy, New Jersey, but Grand Haven was home.
MaryLou was preceded in death by her husband Robert Daane and her brothers John McRae and Bruce McRae.
She is survived by her son, Jack Daane, San Mateo California, and daughters Jill Daane and Robyn Daane both of Grand Haven, and many beloved nieces and nephews. Special acknowledgement and love to the best neighbors and friends ever, Ross and Rose Kieft and family. Love and appreciation to bonus family, Dan and Jane Riddle and Rachel and Trevor Sexton.
The family appreciates all the care she received from many caregivers over the past few years, especially her last caregiver and friend Nancy. We would also like to thank the members of the Church of the Dunes for their prayers, cards and visits throughout the years and Trinity Hospice of Grand Haven for your kindness and care during the final days.
MaryLou was an active member of the United Methodist Church of the Dunes, serving early on as Church School Supervisor, a long-time choir member, Mission Commission member and Mary Circle member – she received the Angel award and a Special Mission Recognition for her many works.
MaryLou was a faithful volunteer for MAP – mission for area people food bank in Muskegon, Michigan.
MaryLou worked as an airline agent at the Muskegon Airport in the ’50s and worked full-time for the Muskegon Travel Agency from 1968-1989.
She loved to travel and go on adventures with family and friends, her job enabled her to visit many countries and states. She had fond memories of a trip to Germany with son Jack in 1999 for a total solar eclipse, a small cloud obscured the sun, but they did see Venus at noon, and she just enjoyed the adventure with Jack.
MaryLou enjoyed bowling into her 80s on the Monday night league at Starlight Lanes, team sponsored by Pine Hill Farm.
Music was a lifetime passion; she enjoyed many styles of music: show tunes, Burt Bacharach, and Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass were often played as dinner music to “liven” the place up at home. Frank Sinatra was her personal favorite, just a mention on Ol’ Blue Eyes would make her smile.
In her later years, she started quilting, she enjoyed the challenge of putting together colors and patterns, reminding us it was about joy in the process, not perfection.
MaryLou had a warm smile, a great sense of humor, enjoyed being with people and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
The funeral for MaryLou will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at United Methodist Church of the Dunes with Rev. Lou Grettenberger officiating. Friends may meet the family one hour prior to the funeral at church.