Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Daddazio, Mary Esther (Helmes) 2015 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net January 2, 2018, 3:51 pm Ionia Sentinel Standard, 19 May 2015 Mary Esther Daddazio, 90, of Ionia died May 15, 2015 at Sparrow Ionia Hospital. She was born July 10, 1924 in Ionia, the daughter of William S. Helmes and Rosa Mae Bennett Helmes. She graduated from Ionia High School in 1942. After presenting two compulsory piano concerts at the age of 16 and 17, she received a conservatory music scholarship from the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was unable to attend because of the war. Instead she took advanced training in commercial subjects at Grand Raids Davenport-McLaughlin Institute. Her professional career began as a secretary, and advanced to supervisor of the Ionia State Hospital Department of Medical Records. After 37 years of state service, she retired from the Michigan Department of Mental Health in 1980 as the Ionia State Hospital director of admissions. Her real passion and hobbies can be described in one word “music”. She began taking piano lessons at the age of 7, and pipe organ lessons at age 15. Mary Esther has been a part of the musical scene in and around the Ionia area since her high school days. She was a professional pianist and organist. In her younger years, she played in several dance bands and was accompanist for civic choirs in both Ionia and Saranac. As a member of the Ionia First Presbyterian Church joining in 1940, she played the piano for Sunday school for 25 years and played the organ for 19 years. She also taught Sunday school for 19 years. She continued to play the piano for various church functions. She was a member of many local, state and national organizations, serving in various capacities. Mary Esther spent most of her lifetime advocating for Women’s Rights in the workplace, locally, statewide and nationally. In 2006, she was honored for these endeavors by being an inductee into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame. She helped found the Michigan Women’s Historical Center in Lansing. She was charter member of the State Employees Association as well as the Michigan ERAmerica. In 1978, she was appointed by then Governor Milliken to serve on the Michigan Crime Prevention Coalition being the only woman in the state to the 22 member board. She was awarded many community service awards in Michigan and Florida where she wintered after retiring. Following her husband’s death, she returned to Ionia. She enjoyed luncheons and family get togethers with her sister, Marjorie and special nieces, Mary Lou and Judy as well as their families. On September 25, 1958, she and William Paul Daddazio of Ossining, New York were married at the First Presbyterian Church in Ionia. He died in 2008. Also preceding her in death was one brother, Perry Helmes and two sisters, Phyllis Coston and Betty Heyn. Survivors include Perry’s wife, Nancy Davis, a brother, Harold Helmes, of Alma and a sister, Marjorie Smith, of Portland, and special nieces, Mary Lou (Richard) Chickering of Belding and Judy (Bill) Reid, of Portland. Many more nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday May 20th at the First Presbyterian Church in Ionia with Reverend Bruce Mulder officiating. Visitation will take place at the church one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at 2:30 p.m. at Tuttle Cemetery in Ionia. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor her memory may make a memorial donation to the Daddazio Memorial Fund at the First Presbyterian Church 125 E. Main (PO Box 125) Ionia, MI 48846. Arrangements by Lake Funeral Home in Ionia. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/d/daddazio7038gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb