Mary Ellen Tyszka, age 84, of Warren, Michigan, passed away on July 13, 2023.  Mary Ellen was devoted to her family, friends, and the Polish American community.  She grew up in Detroit in the era of neighborhood parishes, family recipes, the "original" Buddy's Pizza, and big Polish weddings at the "original" Polish Century Club on Outer Drive.  Her childhood in Detroit was interspersed with trips to the family farm in Smith's Creek, where she made fond childhood memories with too many cousins to list here.

Mary Ellen graduated from Pershing High School and Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.  She is an honorary alumna of Orchard Lake Schools.  She started working at Blue Cross Blue Shield in the 1960s.  By the time she retired from BCBS over 35 years later, she had held multiple management positions.  She shared her leadership and administrative skills with numerous organizations including Friends of Polish Art, American Council for Polish Culture, Polish American Congress, Orchard Lake Schools, the National Polish Apostolate Committee, the Grosse Pointe Classical Music League, her parish church St. Louise de Marillac, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Retiree Association Board, and her investing club Prof-ettes.

As Mary Ellen's mother aged, Mary Ellen opened her home to her and assumed the role of family matriarch.  She championed her siblings, nieces and nephews and their accomplishments and was always there to provide support and advice, or just listen.  She loved to travel and all the better if she could celebrate a niece's or nephew's graduation, job post, or wedding in an exotic location.  One nephew calls her "Our Biggest Cheerleader."  Her faith was important to her and among the highlights of Mary Ellen's life was personally meeting Pope John Paul II in the Vatican in 2003, then attending his beatification in Rome.

Mary Ellen was the consummate gracious and generous hostess, whether at her art-filled home in West Village, or later, Warren, and she had a set of fine china for every occasion, be it a family Wigilia, St. Stephen's Day, or her elegant and regular dinner parties with decades-long friends.  There was always enough food and cheer for the unexpected guests she warmly welcomed.  When not hosting, she was a charming and helpful guest.  She enjoyed happy hours with a taste of Polish vodka and a good laugh, and she invited everyone to share both with her until the end.

Mary Ellen was preceded in death by her father Henry F. Tyszka and her mother Helen L. Tyszka.  She is survived by her siblings Frederick (Annette) Tyszka, Henry J. Tyszka, Ph.D, Elizabeth Ajlouni, M.D. (Munther Ajlouni, M.D.), and Anne Marie Tyszka; nieces and nephews Ruth Tyszka, J.D. (David W. Christensen, J.D.), Benjamin (Laura) Tyszka, Victoria Tyszka Cedeño (Rosendo Cedeño), Adam (Corey) Ajlouni, J.D., Aleksander (Catherine) Tyszka, Jordan Ajlouni (Katie Banks), Steven Dyhdalo and Lydia Dyhdalo; great niece and nephews Leo, Jesse, Maxim, Gus, Charlotte and Xavier; and an extended family of beloved cousins and friends.

Her family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances honor her by feeling her loss so deeply.

The Tyszka family will receive guests at the Heeney-Sundquist Funeral Home, downtown Farmington, on Friday, July 21, from 2-8 pm, with a 7 pm brief prayer service followed by eulogies.

Mary Ellen's Funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday morning, July 22, at 10:00 am (in state 9:30 am) at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, 23615 Power Rd., Farmington.

Interment will follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield.

Memorial tributes suggested to the St. John Paul II Liturgical Center at Orchard Lake St. Mary, the Father Solanus Guild, Detroit, or the Crazy Horse Memorial, Crazy Horse, SD.