Mary Joan Anger

Mary Joan Crisler Anger, age 77, quietly passed away on August 18, 2024, at Corewell Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids surrounded by her family.

She was born on May 12, 1947, the youngest daughter of Laurence and Cecilia Crisler, at St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

She attended Grandville High School and Grand Valley State University with a pair of  Bachelor's degrees in Education (1969) and Biology (1989). She taught elementary school in Covington, Kentucky after graduation. She moved to Hastings and taught 3rd and 4th grades at St. Rose School. She married the love of her life, Aubrey (Pete) Anger, on December 19, 1970, at St. Rose Church, and they were together for 53 years.

After starting a family, Mary worked as a bus driver for Headstart and Hastings Schools, a radiology technician at Pennock Hospital, a pharmacy technician at Hook's Drugs, a real estate agent for Cornerstone Realty, a substitute teacher for Hastings Area Schools, a clerk at the feed store, and a nurse aid for Hospice. She volunteered her time at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute and at St. Rose Church as a reader, eucharistic minister. She helped with cleaning the church and made baptismal gowns for babies and young children. She served on the Rutland Charter Township Board of Review from 1987-2019. She was a member of the St. Rose Ladies Guild and the Thornapple Garden Club. She loved sewing, quilting, gardening, house plants, animals, chocolate, and the color yellow.

She is preceded in death by her parents and sisters: Shirley (Misiewicz), Marjorie (Sister Mary Lawrence), Joan (Sister Marie Lucie), and Barbara Kay (Mutter).

She is survived by her husband, Pete Anger, children Rosemary Anger (Jeffrey Kniaz), Steven Anger, Sherry (Keith) McAllister, Nancy Smith, Andrew (Tiffany) Anger, and Daniel Anger; her grandchildren Freya, Kimberly, Samantha, Shayla, Eleanor, Sarah, Drake, Cordelia, Cooper, Malcolm, and a great-grandchild Cara with too many nieces and nephews to count.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 27, 2024 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm with Rosary at 7:40 pm at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway; Hastings, MI 49058 with a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Rose of Lima Church, 805 S Jefferson St, Hastings, MI 49058 at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. A Luncheon will follow. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net.