Mary Therese (FitzGerald) Boldt

Mary Therese (FitzGerald) Boldt, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away on March 10, 2026, at the age of 98.

Born on October 28, 1927, in Detroit, Michigan, to Joseph and Helen Grace FitzGerald, Mary was the second of seven children. She grew up in a close-knit family and attended St. Mary of Redford Catholic School. Her deep faith and devotion to family remained central to her life.

In 1956, Mary and her husband, Herb, settled in Livonia, Michigan, where they raised their eight children. She was an active member of St. Michael’s Parish, generously giving her time to the Women’s Guild and her community. Mary also served as a precinct judge during elections in the 1970s and 1980s, a role she cherished for the sense of civic duty it offered and the connections it allowed her to make with her neighbors.

In 1992, following Herb’s retirement from The Detroit News, Mary and Herb moved to East Tawas, Michigan. They embraced the quieter pace of small-town life, where Mary joined a local book club and volunteered at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Together, she and Herb also delivered Holy Communion to homebound neighbors, sharing their faith and care with others. For more than 15 years, Mary made her home at American House in Taylor, Michigan, where her friendly nature and bright smile endeared her to staff and fellow residents alike.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Herb; her eldest daughter, Ellen (Ron) Wilder; her eldest grandson, Timothy Boldt; and her siblings: Joseph (Dorothy) FitzGerald, William (Annie) FitzGerald, Joan (Bob) FitzGerald, Helen (Paul) Chuba, Ann (Ralph) Ziegler, and Rosemary (Richard) Llewellen.

She is survived by her children: Mike (Peg) Boldt, John (Peggy) Boldt, Sue (Rob) Zavicar, Jim (Liz) Boldt, Laura (Pete) Huben, Nancy (Joe) Bagazinski, and Julia (Michael) FitzGerald, along with more than two dozen grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews who will carry forward her legacy of kindness, faith, and family.