Mary Cobb

Mary Irene Cobb or Mom, Sis, Auntie, Gramma Rooster, Avocado or Shirley passed away peacefully in her home, surrounded by her loving family on Tuesday, November 15, 2022.

She was born the third oldest child of 10 children on December 14, 1928, to Ursula (Kennedy) and Russell Cryderman in Dafter, MI.  She attended Sault Public schools.

Mary was married to Duane Robert Ordiway on September 20, 1947 and had seven children.  She then married Walter DeVaughn Cobb on February 8, 1969 and had one child.  She and Walter ran the Pine Air Grocery store for several years until she opened her restaurant in Kinross MI, Mary’s Café.  She went on to run the Guardhouse Grill, and the food shack Mary’s at the Chippewa County Fair annually where she made famous the Mary’s breakfast Muffin.

Mary “Mom” was a long-time resident of Sault Ste. Marie and was an avid lover of all things in life!  She loved to cook, care for others and raise babies of all kinds.  You may know her from her restaurants and food shacks and especially her Mary muffins.  You may know her from her crazy glasses and loud rooster crows.   Or, You may know her from her taking you in under her wing when you needed it most, no matter how you knew her you were blessed to have known her.  Mary was one of the strongest, most giving, loving people you would ever meet.   She was also a woman of many words and was not afraid to let you know what was on her mind.    She was such an amazing woman that it is hard to find the “words” to describe her.  Her words were many but her actions were MIGHTY!

She was an avid horsewoman and raised and showed horses for several years. She was a member of the Chippewa County Sheriff’s posse and greatly enjoyed this work. Her favorite job of all was being a mother. A job she perfected over the generations and will be greatly missed by her large family.  She had a strong work ethic and even stronger love for her fellow man.  She was always inviting the lonely and wayward home to share a meal with the family and was known for her huge heart. This is a trait she has passed on to all her children.  She worked hard and played often. She was a role model for all her family. She loved all animals, especially babies and often took in any that needed her care.  She was well known for her cooking and baking skills. Everyone was especially fond of her pie crust cinnamon rolls.

She is survived by her children, Gary (Tracy) Ordiway, Renee Ordiway, Duane Ordiway, Lynn Ordiway, Patty Ordiway, Tiger Ordiway, Tina (Ryan) Kitzmiller and Joy (Carl) Anderson all of Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Her Grandchildren, Tracey (Rob) Laitinen, Barbeau MI, Matthew Ordiway, Tucson, AZ, Andrew (Marinna) Ordiway, of the Sault, Benjamin (Teresa) Ordiway, West Point, NY, Josh Robinson, Ishpeming, MI , Chelsey (Mike) Wunder, Ishpeming, MI, Colleen (Herb) Brown, AL, Shawn(Amber Demolen) Ordiway, Sault, Melanie Jacobs, Royal Oak MI, Tamara (Rich) Roche, and Chris(Sabrina) Leask, of Sault, MI, Colt(Tiffany)Hinton, West Monroe, Louisiana, Amber (Neil) Perry, Munising MI, Jessica (Kathy) Ordiway, Romeoville, Il, Emma Kitzmiller, Sault,  Ethan (Krystal) Anderson, Sault, Shon’tora (Zachary Mullins) Anderson, Chandler, AZ, Ray’shon Anderson, Fort Campbell, KY, Ray’nell (Jessica Parmer) Anderson, Maricopa, AZ, and Walter Anderson, Sault.

Many Great-grandchildren, Audrey and Daniel Laitinen, Claire and Julia Ordiway, Madalyn , Griffin and Lucia Robinson, Ezra and Mila Wunder, Parker and Preston Smith, Megan Brown, Garryn and Rylin Ordiway, Brianna Yates, Haley (Richard) Gibson, Helena Krull, and RJ Krull, Maddie and Elizabeth Leask,  Stevi and Halli Hinton, Owen and Eilyn Perry, Jazymyn Erwin, Bryce Kujawa, Aalyiah and Jalen Anderson.  Great-Great-Grandchildren Raegan and Hazel Gibson, Cohen Krull and Jack Smith. Her sister Lillian (Jack) Holt is her only living sibling. She is blessed to have many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her first husband, Duane Robert Ordiway, her second husband, Walter DeVaughn Cobb, her granddaughter Whitney-Jo DeVaughn Anderson, and her great-grandchildren Ty Laitinen, Michael Ordiway and Forrest Lynn Ordiway and her siblings Ethel Cottelit, Anna Goetz, Russell Cryderman, Gertrude Lehigh, Forrest Cryderman, Evelyn Cryderman, Theresa Cryderman and Valley McCoy. 

A wake in her honor will be held, Monday, November 21, 2022, from 4-7 pm at C.S. Mulder Funeral Home, in Sault Sainte Marie, MI.  A funeral mass will be held at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, November 22, 2022, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Barbeau, MI with burial following at Rock View Cemetery, Pickford, MI.