Sister Mary Ann Ford, IHM, died Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, at the IHM Senior Living Community.
On July 3, 1932 at Florence Crittenton Hospital, George and Ambrosia (Evans) Ford welcomed daughter Mary Ann to their family. As life-long Detroit residents, the family belonged to St. Gregory and Gesu parishes and Mary Ann attended Fitzgerald, Hampton and Gesu grade schools. One year after graduating from Immaculata High School, she entered the community of Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Monroe, in 1951 and received the religious name Sister Madeleine Marie.
Shortly after earning a bachelor’s degree from Marygrove College, Sister Mary Ann earned a Master of Arts degree in the teaching of Mathematics from the University of Detroit. Her early teaching career began in Detroit at the elementary level at St. Agnes, St. Boniface, St. Rose, St. Matthew and Holy Trinity schools. A five-year mission at St. Mary, Akron, honed her skills and gift for teaching high school mathematics. After a yearlong mission to La Merced in Cayey, Puerto Rico, she began a tenure at Holy Redeemer High School (Detroit) as a teacher of mathematics and department chairperson. In 1980, Sister Mary Ann joined the faculty at Bishop Foley High School (Madison Heights) where she influenced many young students over 25 years of ministry.
In 1989 Sister Mary Ann earned a master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry. She continually sought out learning opportunities through lectures and workshops, some sponsored by Bread for the World, Groundwork and Network Michigan. These benefited her volunteer advocacy and support as chaplain for Dignity Detroit, pastoral counseling in HIV/AIDs, the Michigan Peace Team and numerous action committees within IHM.
Sister Mary Ann is survived by her niece and nephew and their families, as well as her IHM Sisters in the community. She was preceded in death by brother George E. Ford.
Read Sister Mary Ann’s remembering here.