Marian Maas

Marian Helen Maas was a loving wife, mother and grandmother and an invested teacher. Her natural curiosity and vigor for learning made her a lifelong student who never tired of knowing more. From childhood, Marian was encouraged to think and explore, and with that passion, she inspired many who had the privilege of being under her care. Marian Helen was born July 31, 1934 in Muskegon, Michigan at a time when families were trying to make life pleasant in the midst of difficult conditions. The second daughter of Calvin and Alta (Robson) Riggs, Marian and her sisters Margo and Martha came of age during the Great Depression. Americans learned to do with very little and pulled together as a society. Marians father worked for the US Department of Conservation as a petroleum engineer, and her mother would have taught school with her degree from Detroit Teachers College, but they started a family soon after graduation. When Marian was four years old, the family moved with her fathers job to Grand Rapids, Michigan and then to Cadillac. Her childhood was spent in tomboy activities as she and her sister Margo preferred to play outdoors in the woods or with the neighborhood boys. One winter, their father rigged up a rope tow so the neighbor kids could go skiing on a nearby hill. During the summertime, the three girls looked forward to spending several weeks at their cousins cabin on Crystal Lake. As a family, they made regular holiday trips to Detroit and Chicago to visit grandparents, who had significant influence in Marians upbringing. For example, it was Grandpa Riggs, in his role as a paleontologist at the Field Museum in Chicago, who piqued Marians interest in archeology, dinosaur bones and history. In 1942, the family moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma among the oilfields. When her parents divorced, 14-year old Marian lived mainly with her mother but remained close to her father as well. She continued to excel in her studies and graduated fourth in her class at Bartlesville High School. She moved back to Detroit to attend Detroit Teachers College (now known as Wayne State University) and lived with her maternal grandparents. Those four years were very formative as Grandma Robson nurtured Marians strong, independent spirit with that of her own. After graduation, Marian took a position as a kindergarten teacher and soon met the man she would marry. In 1957, Marian was introduced to Jack Maas at a dance at the International Institute, a popular meeting spot for people returning to Detroit after the war. The two hit it off right away, and as they dated, Marian felt that being with Jack was as easy and relaxed as a comfortable slipper. Their friendship grew into love and commitment and the couple married on July 5, 1958. The newlyweds created a life in DetroitMarian as a kindergarten teacher and Jack as a tool and die maker in the auto industry. His job was a good fit because he could build almost anything and wasnt afraid to try. After a few years, they moved into an old farmhouse in Shelby, Michigan. The renovation projects were appealing to Jack and his skills, but they were also never-ending. In a way, they provided in-service training for Jack while he taught vocational classes at the high school in Montague. Marian once again took up teaching kindergarten in Montague, and in 1963 she became a mother with the birth of their son Steven and then Peter in 1968. Family life was an adventure of recreation and learning. The Maas family camped during the summers and eventually bought 40 acres near Stony Lake where they could hike and enjoy nature. When the boys were in high school, the family hosted an exchange student from Germany, which turned out to be a lifelong friendship. Marian remained in contact with him and even proof-read the English versions of books he had written. As a sideline of her interest in history, Marian collected antique dolls. Not only did she repair old ones, she researched the history of the dolls and the social cultures they represented. She traveled the country to doll conventions and was a member of the United Federation of Doll Clubs, the Sand Dollers Doll Club in Muskegon and later the Land-O-Sky Doll Club in Asheville. Over time, Marians collection grew to over 150 dolls as she continued her hobby into retirement. After 25 years of teaching in Montague, Marian retired and she and Jack moved to Ashville, North Carolina to escape the Michigan winters. For the next 25 years, they took full advantage of their freedom, traveling and going on several cruises to Alaska and the Caribbean. Their life together was wonderful, so understandably Jacks death in 2006 was difficult for Marian. Eventually, she moved back to Muskegon to be closer to her sons and grandchildren. Marian made a life for herself at Park Terrace Senior Apartments and established new friendships as she played cards and dominos with her fellow residents. Even though she struggled with her health and needed a wheelchair for mobility, Marian kept active with her doll club and enjoyed the companionship of her cat Leo. She read books and watched movies, especially historical based mysteries, and maintained her subscriptions to the Smithsonian magazine and two archeological magazines. Truly, she was a student of life and lived it fully. Eventually the years took a toll on Marians body and she died on Saturday, May 30, 2015. She will be fondly remembered by her loving family and generations of students. Mrs. Marian Helen Maas, age 80, is survived by her sons, Steven (Angela) Maas of Sterling Heights, Peter (Aimee) Maas of Fruitport; grandchildren, Sarah Maas, Emily Maas, Olivia Maas, Jacob Maas, Joseph Maas; sister Martha Davis of Asheville. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and sister Margo. A service to celebrate Marians life will be held Monday, June 8, 2015, 3:00 pm at Clock ChapelMuskegon with Dale Clock as Celebrant. Visitation is scheduled for Monday, June 8, 2015, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm at Clock ChapelMuskegon.