Obituary

A devoted wife, a giving and caring sister and a wonderful and nurturing mother. Affectionally referred to as Mary Kay by family and friends. Born June 10th, 1939 in Detroit, Michigan as Mary Khristine Murphy. She was the 4th of 11 children and the second daughter. Growing up, she participated in several school plays, musicals and talent show. She was an active member on the Dominican High School field hockey, basketball and debate teams. Back then, she could always be found with her best friends Mary Ellen Grimshaw, Arleene Bienkowski, Janice Laske and Gwen Smith. While growing up, her many chores were focused on helping her mother raise her younger siblings. The vast experience she gained would contribute to the success she would later have raising her own children in a calm and supportive manner. She married her high school sweetheart, Don Popadince on March 15th, 1958, while he was home on leave from the US Army. They were married 53 glorious years before he passed in 2010. They raised five children together. Mary was an active parent, volunteering for the PTA, Cub Scouts, Brownies and chaperoning school trips. She believed in the power of teaching children to read at a young age and volunteered for neighborhood public elementary school reading programs in Sterling Heights, Michigan. After all her children had grown, she moved to Arizona. She re-enterd the work force as a certified gemologist. She was a sales associate at London Gold for 22 years, before retiring in 2005. In true Mary Kay fashion, many of her customers became friends for life. Mary Kay was the family ancestry specialist and devoted many years to documenting the families history. She was always excited to share the latest thing that she had learned about some distant or previously unknown relative. She was especially proud of all the connections she had made with the family members she had learned about in her last years. Survived by children Donald George II, Carrie-Ann Popadince Waltman, Douglas Popadince, David & his wife Andrea Wood Popadince and Dwight Popadince. Sisters Judith Barry, Kathy Wierzbinski and brother Timothy Murphy. Two granddaughters: Alicia Case and Kara Popadince. Preceded in death by her husband Donald her parents Leo & Bernice Murphy and siblings Sallie Shannon, Dennis Murphy, David Murphy Sharon Long, Karen Kerley, Cynthia Melan and William Murphy. A celebration of life event will be held in Mesa, Arizona on Saturday, November 13th. We will celebrate Mary’s life in the grand Irish tradition. We ask those who attend, to please wear a clothing item or accessory that is green. For more details, contact her son Doug at (602) 421-7425.