Mary Billig

Mary Justine (Foley) Billig, age 84, of Saint Louis, MI died Saturday, September 3, 2011.

A Memorial Mass will be 11:00 A.M. Saturday, September 10, 2011 at Mt. St. Joseph Catholic Church, Saint Louis, MI. Visitation will be held 6:00-9:00 PM Friday, September 9, 2011 at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Saint Louis, MI. A Prayer Service and Rosary will be prayed at 8:00 PM.

Mary Justine Foley was born in Fenton, MI on November 17, 1926, the daughter of Mary Alice (O'Shea) and John Patrick Foley.

Mary Justine attended Mercy College of Nursing Detroit, Battle Creek Unit and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1947. She worked for 40 years as an R.N. in Florida and Michigan.

Mary Justine married Thomas Howard Billig on October 4, 1952 in Fenton, MI. Mary Justine and Tom moved to Ithaca, MI where they were partners in the ownership of Billig's Flowers for many years, and in 1970 moved to Saint Louis where they took ownership of the flowers shops in Saint Louis and Alma, calling them Tom Billig's Flowers and Gifts.

Mary Justine worked as an R.N. at the hospitals in Alma until 1987. She worked mainly in obstetrics but in later years joined her friend, Peg Boyd, as one of the first Visiting Home Care Nurses in Gratiot County.

Mary Justine was a devoted mother, raising seven children. She was a member of St. Josephs Catholic Church in Saint Louis and former member of both Saint Pauls Catholic Church in Ithaca and Saint Marys Catholic Church in Alma. Mary Justine volunteered for the American Red Cross and worked for them until well past her retirement. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 256 Alma/Saint Louis.

Mary Justine is survived by her children, Peggy Billig and Gary Tuma of Lansing, Patrick Billig of White Cloud, Winnie and George Kubin of Saint Louis, Linda and Jeff Allen of Midland, Jane and Ray Latham of Eaton Rapids, Joe and Donna Billig of Mason, and Jim and Julie Billig of Windemere, FL; her grandchildren, Iris Tuma, Christopher Kubin, Thomas Kubin, Ashley Allen, Duane Allen, Daniel Latham, Joseph Latham, Brent Billig, Hannah Billig, Davey Oswalt and Jeff Oswalt. Also surviving are her siblings, Liz and John McGraw of Saginaw, Anne Day of Mesa, AZ, Fran and Joe Markley of Pinconning and Grace Kerlin of Pinconning. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Midge Billig of Clinton, WA, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Mary Justine was preceded in death by her husband Thomas in 1997, her parents, her siblings Maurice and Theresa Foley and Martin and Delphine Foley, in-laws, Betty and Vern Krebsbach, and Bob and Iva Billig, brothers-in-law Jerry Day and Ross Billig; and daughter-in-law Linda Jennings Billig.

Memorials may be made to the American Red Cross or to the Alma College Senior Water Aerobics Program. Online condolences can be sent to www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes Saint Louis Chapel Saint Louis, Michigan.


Read Mary Billig's Obituary and Guestbook on smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com.