Mary Louise Hall
January 5th, 1944 - April 25th, 2026
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Mary's Obituary
Our Heavenly Father has called His daughter home. Mary Louise Hall passed away on April 25, 2026 at 1:13 pm at Holland Hospital surrounded by her family.
Mary was born on January 5,1944 in Wheelwright, Kentucky to Mike and Bonnie (Graham) Bakay. She grew up in Weeksbury, Kentucky and attended Wheelwright Elementary and High School. Raised in a large family, she enjoyed time with her 3 sisters and 3 brothers. Mary faced a difficult childhood but found strength and purpose when she gave her heart to the Lord at the age of eleven.
She married in 1964 and had four daughters that were her heart. She raised them with deep love and a strong foundation in faith, ensuring they were in church whenever the doors were open. Mary had a servant’s heart and found joy in helping others. She volunteered in many capacities, including her church, Hospice, and mentoring young women through a local jail ministry.
After her children were grown, Mary went back to school and obtained her CNA certification to further serve people. She was compassionate and accommodating, caring for those who couldn’t take care of themselves as a home health aide. Talking to strangers and picking up hitchhikers to tell them about Jesus was not uncommon for Mary. A person would never leave her house without being offered a prayer, a meal or some gift. She was a giver.
She lived her life passionate about her family and Jesus. If you ever met her, even in passing, you knew that she loved Jesus. She used every opportunity to share her love for Jesus and people often inviting others to church. She never met a stranger, making lifelong friends with many church members as well as developing friendships with those fortunate enough to dial the “wrong number” and reaching her. She loved her church and church family at Shekinah Revival, where she attended for more than 20 years.
In her later years she developed a love for traveling, making her way to Israel to experience the history of her Savior, Jamaica where she volunteered at an orphanage, impromptu trips with friends, vacations to Florida with her children and most recently to Hawaii where her daughters surprised her with a trip in 2024. Her trip to Hawaii was thrilling and Mary adopted the greeting of “Aloha” whenever she talked to her daughters after that.
She had 14 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren which she adored. She made each one feel special like they were her favorite, always ending her conversations with “I love you more”
She was a beautiful soul, inside and out. Blessed beyond measure, Mary soaked up every minute always wanting to “make a memory”. She used every opportunity to encourage an adventure as simple as stopping to smell the roses or teaching her grandchildren something valuable. At the end of conversations with family and friends, as at the end of her life, Mary concluded with “I’m glad we had this time together”. She cherished the time spent with those close to her and held tightly to those memories in her last days.
She is preceded in death by her parents Mike and Bonnie Bakay, her brothers Nicholas (Joyce) Bakay, Timothy Bakay, and her sisters Dora Faye Tackett and Ann Butcher. She is survived by her four daughters: Bonnie Hall Pickell of South Haven, Veronica (Curt) Minton of Breedsville, Charity (Ellis) Walden of Bloomingdale, and Angel (Tom) Niedzielski of Lacota as well as 14 grandchildren; Stephanie (Eric) Criswell, Lindsey Merick, Kaitlynn Merick, Ryan (Amanda) Minton, Stephen Williams, Michael Williams, Alexys Williams, Taylor (Matthew) Saylor, Evan Williams, Lauren Cummins, Jordan (Arianna) Cummins, Gabby Cummins, Mason Cummins, and Cayden (Kiahnna) Cummins; one sister, Francis Gardner; one brother, Mike Bakay; 14 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held at Filbrandt Family Funeral Home, 1076 S. Bailey Avenue, South Haven, Michigan on May 1, 2026 at 12:00 pm with a Celebration of Life Service at 1:00 pm. Burial will follow at Lacota Cemetery, Lacota, MI.
Those wishing to share a memory online may do so at www.starksfamilyfh.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Filbrandt Chapel-Starks Family Funeral Homes and Cremation Services. 269-637-0333.
Mary was born on January 5,1944 in Wheelwright, Kentucky to Mike and Bonnie (Graham) Bakay. She grew up in Weeksbury, Kentucky and attended Wheelwright Elementary and High School. Raised in a large family, she enjoyed time with her 3 sisters and 3 brothers. Mary faced a difficult childhood but found strength and purpose when she gave her heart to the Lord at the age of eleven.
She married in 1964 and had four daughters that were her heart. She raised them with deep love and a strong foundation in faith, ensuring they were in church whenever the doors were open. Mary had a servant’s heart and found joy in helping others. She volunteered in many capacities, including her church, Hospice, and mentoring young women through a local jail ministry.
After her children were grown, Mary went back to school and obtained her CNA certification to further serve people. She was compassionate and accommodating, caring for those who couldn’t take care of themselves as a home health aide. Talking to strangers and picking up hitchhikers to tell them about Jesus was not uncommon for Mary. A person would never leave her house without being offered a prayer, a meal or some gift. She was a giver.
She lived her life passionate about her family and Jesus. If you ever met her, even in passing, you knew that she loved Jesus. She used every opportunity to share her love for Jesus and people often inviting others to church. She never met a stranger, making lifelong friends with many church members as well as developing friendships with those fortunate enough to dial the “wrong number” and reaching her. She loved her church and church family at Shekinah Revival, where she attended for more than 20 years.
In her later years she developed a love for traveling, making her way to Israel to experience the history of her Savior, Jamaica where she volunteered at an orphanage, impromptu trips with friends, vacations to Florida with her children and most recently to Hawaii where her daughters surprised her with a trip in 2024. Her trip to Hawaii was thrilling and Mary adopted the greeting of “Aloha” whenever she talked to her daughters after that.
She had 14 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren which she adored. She made each one feel special like they were her favorite, always ending her conversations with “I love you more”
She was a beautiful soul, inside and out. Blessed beyond measure, Mary soaked up every minute always wanting to “make a memory”. She used every opportunity to encourage an adventure as simple as stopping to smell the roses or teaching her grandchildren something valuable. At the end of conversations with family and friends, as at the end of her life, Mary concluded with “I’m glad we had this time together”. She cherished the time spent with those close to her and held tightly to those memories in her last days.
She is preceded in death by her parents Mike and Bonnie Bakay, her brothers Nicholas (Joyce) Bakay, Timothy Bakay, and her sisters Dora Faye Tackett and Ann Butcher. She is survived by her four daughters: Bonnie Hall Pickell of South Haven, Veronica (Curt) Minton of Breedsville, Charity (Ellis) Walden of Bloomingdale, and Angel (Tom) Niedzielski of Lacota as well as 14 grandchildren; Stephanie (Eric) Criswell, Lindsey Merick, Kaitlynn Merick, Ryan (Amanda) Minton, Stephen Williams, Michael Williams, Alexys Williams, Taylor (Matthew) Saylor, Evan Williams, Lauren Cummins, Jordan (Arianna) Cummins, Gabby Cummins, Mason Cummins, and Cayden (Kiahnna) Cummins; one sister, Francis Gardner; one brother, Mike Bakay; 14 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held at Filbrandt Family Funeral Home, 1076 S. Bailey Avenue, South Haven, Michigan on May 1, 2026 at 12:00 pm with a Celebration of Life Service at 1:00 pm. Burial will follow at Lacota Cemetery, Lacota, MI.
Those wishing to share a memory online may do so at www.starksfamilyfh.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Filbrandt Chapel-Starks Family Funeral Homes and Cremation Services. 269-637-0333.
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