Mary Dinkel

Mary Dinkel, 54, of Ada, died peacefully at home on December 12, 2008. In later life, Mary was a walking miracle, outliving her doctors' prognosis by more than seven years through tenacity, research and intuition. She learned a lot about herself and life's priorities during her illness, especially the value of honoring her spiritual intuition to guide her life and treatment. She enjoyed many personal and professional accomplishments and died with few regrets. Mary's personal life-spark lit up many individual lives as well as any room she entered. She met her beloved husband and closest friend, Mark Johnson, at a concert when she was in her late 30s. She described Mark as a fabulous father to their twin children, Lauren and Will, whom she loved from the moment she was pregnant and who were the lights of her life. She had a deep appreciation of motherhood and felt blessed to enjoy thirteen years with her children. Some of her happiest days were spent watching Lauren and Will playing with their dogs, and she hereby reminds Mark to spend half an hour walking Champ every day.

Mary was smart, independent, irreverent, loving, funny and caring. Her gifts were displayed in varied careers as a journalist, lawyer and artist. She grew up in Grand Rapids, the oldest of 10 children, attending St. Thomas School where she wrote and produced plays, an early indication of her literary talents. She later was Arts and Entertainment editor of the Western Michigan University student newspaper. Her writings included essays, short fiction and poetry. After graduating from WMU, she won an Associated Press award for feature articles while on the Decatur, Illinois Herald and Review staff. She hit a glass ceiling early in journalism and transferred her writing and analytical skills to the legal profession. After graduating from the St. Louis University School of Law, she returned to Grand Rapids and was in private practice for 25 years. Her legal practice was varied and she ultimately "hung out her shingle" as a sole practitioner. She always tried to help her clients see the light at the end of the tunnel, and describes her fellow lawyers as good people doing their best to help their clients. She was active in bar activities at the local and state levels such as the Grand Rapids Bar Association and Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, West Michigan Region. She was a card carrying member of the ACLU. When breast cancer forced her to retire from a growing and successful legal practice, she was able to explore more fully her artistic side; her paintings are a source of beauty to her family and friends. She was a voracious reader and contemplative writer, who perceived the spiritual essence in life and the many people she met. Mary was preceded in death by her father, Lawrence Dinkel and her baby sister, Betsy. Mary is survived by her husband, Mark Johnson, and their children, Lauren and William Johnson. Other family survivors include her mother, Elizabeth Dinkel, and siblings, Lawrence (Ruth Ann), Cathy (Bruce) Newell, Paul, Joe (Deb), Chris (Kim), John (Robin), Stephanie and Jennifer (Tim) Brom; her mother-in-law, Thelma Johnson of Glenarm, Maryland; many nieces and nephews and extended family members. Mary asks her family and friends to remember that love is everywhere, to celebrate her life and help her children recall her personal essence. "A child is born, the old must die. A time for joy, a time to cry. So take it as it passes by and let it be a dance." Visitation will be Monday, December 15 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the O'Brien-Eggebeen-Gerst Chapel, 3980 Cascade Rd. SE. Family and friends will pray the Rosary at 6:30 p.m. followed by a short memorial remembrance service. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Robert of Newminster Church, 6477 Ada Drive, Ada, on Tuesday, December 16 at 11:00 a.m., Rev. R. Louis Stasker, presiding. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the William and Lauren Johnson College Fund through Putnam Investments, 1430 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, 49503, (616) 458-8990, attention John Parras. She loved daisies. O'Brien Eggebeen Gerst

Spent a day and a half saying goodbye to the bravest woman I know. For the past 8 years, my college roommate Mary has been outsmarting cancer. We met for lunch in Lansing after the holidays in 2000. A couple of weeks later I called to ask her where she got the boots she had worn to lunch. The breast cancer diagnosis had been delivered that day. There were many other times when I called on the day she needed me. I expect she'll speak to me some way when the battle is over. In late fall of 2001 I accompanied her to New Orleans. The reconstruction surgeon, she found the best one in the country, tatooed nipples for her after all signs of cancer were gone. We shopped and savored the city. One evening found us following a Dixieland band into our hotel lobby where a bride and groom ended their reception with one last dance. It was delightful. Mary saw a psychic who told her to leave her job and be more creative. She closed her law practice, went to writer's retreats and took painting classes. Today she wanted me to take the outfit she bought during that trip.
After the New Orleans trip, we began our Labor Day weekends together at Gun Lake. Most every year we spent the summer days at her cottage, with her two young children running around us while we talked and laughed, read books and remembered our 20s. I had my children at 27 and 30. Mary was 42 when she had the twins. I married at 22, divorced at 32; we were 38 when Mary and Mark were married. Mary was a bridesmaid in my wedding.
In the fall of 2002, just when I was feeling empty-nested, the cancer had spread to her liver and bones. She found a treatment in Germany and I went along for the first week. It was my first trip to Europe. She had backpaced around four or five countries as a college sophomore. Mary was feeling good enough to have dinner out most of the week. We had Chinese food, Italian food, everything but German food. Daytimes she had infusions and tests. I read a lot of books, met a lot of people from various European countries who all spoke English, who all had cancer. Mary returned to the BadAibling clinic a number of times to receive the treatment that isn't approved in the states. Her liver was cancer free after a year.

For the past five years we've stayed in touch more than we have since we left college. She was here for my 50th surprise birthday party; and I went with her to Chicago for a new doctor and treatment. I didn't go to Gun Lake this Labor Day because it was the week after the wedding. Mark and Mary were at the wedding with the kids. She had said it for many years: "cancer free by Christmas." I was sure she was right. She attacked the monster with strategy, finding the best doctors and treatments; with lifestyle, changing most food to organic; and with karma, by being creative, and utilizing every spiritual tool available.
A few weeks ago her energy was fading, and she found out her liver was filled with the monster. When I left today they were going to celebrate Christmas early.
I have always called her "my Mary." I'm certain we'll stay connected.