Mary Lou Gloudemans

Beloved mother, Nana, sister, aunt and friend peacefully slipped from this life into heaven Thursday morning, February 6, 2025. Age 85 years. The daughter of the late Steven Loviska and Mary (nee Jacobs), Mary Lou was born October 27, 1939 in Saginaw, Michigan.  Mary Lou was 100 percent Slovak and grew up in the rich traditions of her heritage. Her first role in life was loving daughter, soon followed by adored big sister to Larry, Bill and Anne. 

Mary Lou graduated as valedictorian from St. Joseph in Saginaw. Her first marriage was blessed with Steve Tenney of Saginaw, Barb (Bill) Luongo of Flint, John (Mandi) Tenney of St. Charles and Julie Petrick of Flint. She met her honey and the love of her life, Lee Gloudemans in 1966 when one of her jobs was bartending at Pee Wee’s Lounge. They married on June 1, 1968 and added Laura (Mark) Cassar of Rochester Hills and Eric (Tracie) Gloudemans of Grosse Pointe Farms to the bunch. They settled in Shields, Michigan, converting a large portion of their yard into a vegetable garden, holding hands for sunset Happy Hours on the back patio, raising their kids and eventually watching their grandchildren grow. 

If you knew Mary Lou, you knew love. She loved freely, deeply and unconditionally. So many people called her “Mom” because that is how she loved, like a warm hug. Not everyone has a mom like Mary Lou, but everyone wishes they did. She had a wicked sense of humor and a mischievous grin when she’d make you groan at one of her terrible puns. Her positive energy was contagious. Her strength, inspirational. She had a great love for music—playing it, singing it and watching it live, especially if it was one of her three son’s gigs. She was incredibly supportive of all her children’s endeavors. She made their passions her passion. Mom was always our biggest fan. 

A woman of many talents that those she loved benefited from, Mary Lou was an awarded painter, organic gardener (before anyone knew what that even meant), canner, kolache baker, seamstress, and creator of all things magical. If you asked for it, she would figure it out and make it for you. No challenge was too big. Our challenge now is to go on without her.

In addition to her children, Mary Lou is survived by 14 grandchildren, Kara, Derek, Will, Mary, Laury, Ben, David, Tim, Jacob, Dani, Dominic, Christian, Steven and Charles; sister Anne Bates of Bay City, brother Bill (Blanche) Loviska of Port St. Lucie, sisters-in-law Kathy Loviska of Saginaw and Jackie Sickel of Green Bay, WI and many great, great-great and great-great-great grandchildren, nieces and nephews, including three special niece/daughters Sarah Bates of Saginaw, Lisa Bates of Chicago and Laura Bates of Chicago. Mary Lou was preceded in death by her beloved husband, parents, brother Larry Loviska and son Timothy Tenney. Mary Lou’s family would like to thank Heart to Heart Hospice and Bellbrook Memory Care for their loving service. 

Mary Lou was a woman of strong faith. She served her community as a Eucharistic Minister, catechism teacher and one of the first women ushers. She was an avid reader and a fan of all music. In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Thomas Township Library or Major Chords for Minors. 

Funeral Liturgy for Mary Lou will take place Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church,1035 N. River Rd. Saginaw, MI 48609. Rev. Fr. Peter Gaspeny will officiate with private burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Albee Township Cemetery. Friends may call at the Snow Funeral Home, 3775 N. Center Rd., (between Shattuck and McCarty) where the family will be present on Monday, February 10, 2025 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and again at the church Tuesday morning from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.

Mary Lou was a woman of strong faith. She served her community as a Eucharistic Minister, catechism teacher and one of the first women ushers. She was an avid reader and a fan of all music. In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Thomas Township Library or Major Chords for Minors.