Mary Louise Bosak

Bosak, Mary Louise née Broadway, age 98, of Swartz Creek, died on July 23, 2023, at home with her daughter Michele by her side. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 27, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 2415 Bagley St, Flint. There will be a closed casket visitation at the church for family and friends at 10 a.m., with a mass to follow at 11 a.m. Immediately after mass, there will be a funeral procession to New Calvary Cemetery, followed by interment.

Mary was born June 25, 1925, in Brize Norton, Oxford, England. She was the daughter of Herbert and Catherine (Crozier) Broadway. She attended Witney grammar school and received an academic scholarship which allowed her to complete college as well.

Mary met her one and only, a “Yank from the States,” while working as a telephone operator during World War II. She and Frank were married on April 25, 1945, and she gave birth to the first of their 12 children before getting on a “cattle boat” to America. (It was later falsely reported by her elementary-aged son David that she came over on the Mayflower.) She would later study for and pass the test to become an American citizen.

She and Frank raised their seven daughters and five sons in Burton, then Flint, Michigan. While Mary worked as a domestic engineer and Frank worked for the City of Flint Water Department, they put all 12 children through 13 years of parochial school. When Frank died on November 2, 1979, Mary carried on to get the last three children graduated from high school.

In her earlier years, Mary did a lot of knitting and crocheting. She received voice training as a teenager and she and Frank loved music and singing. She also loved to read, do all kinds of word puzzles and play games. Funnily enough, she always seemed to get a Yahtzee after you left the room to get something.

Mary was a devout member of the Catholic Church, first in Flint and then in Swartz Creek. She was also a member of the Flint St. Mary’s Altar Society, the Blue Army and the Daughters of Isabella. Family, both here and back in England, was very important to her. She would go back to visit her relatives in England periodically throughout the years and took at least one of her adult children on each trip.

Mary had quite a few British sayings, and passed the tradition of “pinch punch, first of the month” on to her children and grandchildren. She would always threaten to “box your ears” if you were misbehaving, and after you gave her a lengthy explanation would reply “I believe you. Thousands wouldn’t.”

She is survived by 10 children, Mary Nelson of Harbor Springs; Frances (Lawrence) Goka of Howell; John (Anita) Bosak of Flushing; Teresa (Andrew) Blaize of Northbend, Washington; Susan Bosak of Flint; Paul (Deborah) Bosak of Flushing; Patty (José) Perales of Davison; Stephen Bosak of Orlando, Florida; Michele Bosak of Swartz Creek; and David Bosak of Holt; many grandchildren; great grandchildren; and great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Frank Bosak; two sisters, Margaret (Peg) and Muriel (Nip); an infant brother Roland; daughter Sharon Shaheen; son Chris Bosak; and son-in-law Allen Nelson.

Even though she was still very quick witted, she was diagnosed with dementia in 2019, shortly after having congestive heart failure and getting a pacemaker installed. Her dementia progressed rather quickly in her last several months. Her daughter Michele has been her caregiver and constant companion. A special thanks goes out to all those who helped make it possible for her to remain at home and live a long, long happy life.

She is already sadly missed and will always be affectionately remembered by her children as THE QUEEN MUM!

Anyone else whose life has been touched by our mother, please feel free to tell your story or leave comments in the guest book.

In lieu of sending flowers, please use the money to do something nice for someone you love.