Mrs. Mary Catherin Richards

RICHARDS, Mrs. Mary - Age 79, passed away Sunday, January 25, 2026 at her residence. Family hour 1:00 PM Monday, February 9, 2026, at Grace Cathedral Community Church, 1709 Nebraska Ave., with funeral service commencing at 2:00 PM. Pastor Patrick McNeal, Officiating. Interment Sunset Hills Cemetery, 4413 Flushing Rd, Flint, MI. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 1:00 PM Monday. Mrs. Richards will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd. and may be viewed from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Sunday. Mother Mary Catherin (Glover) Richards was born on February 27, 1946, in Waynesboro, Mississippi, the fifth of thirteen children born to the late Percy Pearl and Ora Lee (Rankin) Glover. She spent her early years in Waynesboro, surrounded by a large and loving family that shaped her faithfulness, generosity and strong love for her family and friends. Mother Mary later relocated to Flint, Michigan at the age of 12, to be raised by her eldest sister, Florasteen and brother-n-law, Harold Bolton. Once Katrina and Lisha were born, she was raised as their big sister. Mary attended Bryant Junior High School and graduated from the “Old” Northern High School in 1963, where she met the love of her life, Curie Columbus Richards. Curie often picked Mary up from high school in his 1963 Pontiac convertible, a moment Mary enjoyed so much that she would proudly invite her friends to ride along. The two were then married in 1964, beginning a beautiful love story that spanned over 64 years. From their union, three children were born, and together they built a loving family. With the birth of Mary’s first granddaughter, SaQuoya this family was blessed to experience the love and devotion of five generations. Mother Mary worked in retail for 10 years and later retired from Comcast Cable after 20 years of dedicated service. At a young age, Mother Mary accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, a decision that guided her throughout her life. She was an active member of Magnolia Baptist Church “on the hill” in Waynesbo-ro, Mississippi. After relocating, Mother Mary remained steadfast in her faith and church service. She was a dedicated member of Faith Baptist Missionary Church. Later she joined Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church where she received several honors, including the Faithful Member Award. She served faithfully in her later years at Grace Cathedral Community Church. Mother Mary served with dedication on the kitchen committee, pastoral ministry, and usher board at each church, often as a Head Usher. Mother Mary was well known for her love of angels, cooking and baking, often sharing fun times in the kitchen with her sisters. While some never had a chance to taste her delicious blueberry muffins, she also had additional baked goods and dishes to share. Her prize-winning pecan and sweet potato pies, 7-Up pound cake, chicken and dumplings, dressing, and potato salad were among the favorites. One of her proud-est accomplishments was earning a 1st Place Blue Ribbon at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church’s Soul Food Cook-Off for the Best Side Dish. In addition to cooking, Mother Mary enjoyed calling her nieces and nephews to catch up to see how they were doing and to let them know how she was. She also often took her nieces and nephews to the family garden to pick the vegetables. Her son, Tremelle, was also instrumental in helping her pick and prepare the vegetables she shared with family and friends. At home, Mary found comfort sitting in her favorite chair, watching classic westerns alongside her devoted husband. Mary and Curie also enjoyed traveling together, often visiting Muskegon to look at Lake Michigan, and taking many trips to Mississippi to spend time with family. One unforgettable highlight of Mary’s life was fulfilling her bucket-list dream of flying. At age 73, she took her first airplane trip with Sabrina and Lisha, where she was treated like royalty and earned her “pilot’s wings” by taking photos with the pilot and the flight crew while toasting champagne. It was a moment she deeply cherished. Mother Mary Catherin Richards lived a life of faith, service, love, and generosity. She will be remembered for her ability to remain steadfast in her strong wisdom; and the way she kept track of all of our lives with her phone calls and occasional drive-by’s. Mary earned the nick-name “Deputy Dog” from her nephews for the way she kept tabs on the whole family. One of her favorite ridding partners was her niece “Deputy Dog Jr.” Teresa Bounds. Mary’s personality was big (in spite of her stature), strong, expres-sive, loving and kind. Her legacy lives on through the many lives she touched and the family who she loved so Deeply.

Mrs. Mary Catherin Richards

February 27, 1946 - January 25, 2026