Maryce Farrell

Maryce was born at her grandparents home in Felch, Mich., on July 14, 1940, to Maurice and Gertrude (LaLonde) Anderson. The second of seven children, Maryce was raised on Dakota Avenue in Gladstone, and attended Holy Name High School until transferring to and graduating from Gladstone High School.

For a few years she helped with the family business, Andy’s Market, minding the store at lunchtime and after school.

After working at Miller Brewery in Milwaukee and experiencing city life for two years, she married her high school sweetheart James Michael Farrell on October 22, 1960, while Jim was studying at Northern Michigan University. Jim taught for a year in Carney, Mich., before being hired to teach business at Pulaski High School in Pulaski, Wis. With the exception of the 1968-69 school year in Missoula, MT, where Jim earned his masters degree, Maryce and Jim raised their four children in Pulaski. The family was active in the community and also enjoyed spending time at their cabin in Upper Michigan.

Maryce was fun-loving, resourceful and always embraced new adventures! She advocated for equal opportunity for girls in local sports and was a dedicated volunteer for and lifetime member of Girl Scouts. She was instrumental in forming the first Girl Scout troops in Pulaski as well as leading troops and summer camp activities. She served for many years as a Lion, one of the first women to do so in Pulaski, Wis., and Rapid River, Mich. She held leadership positions and dedicated countless volunteer hours to both Lions clubs and was proud to receive the Melvin Jones Award.

In addition to volunteering, Maryce worked in Pulaski at the shoe factory credit union and administration, an auto dealer, and the Franciscan Publishers printery, learning to type in Polish without knowing the language.

She was social and forward-thinking, playing bridge and participating in a ladies’ investment club at a time when women weren’t encouraged to understand the stock market.

When Maryce and Jim retired, they renovated and moved to their cabin in Upper Michigan’s Stonington Peninsula and enjoyed life on the lake. In winter months they loved driving cross-country to warmer areas, visiting old friends and family and making new friends along the way. Maryce continued these trips on her own after Jim passed away in June 2008, until she purchased a condo in Estero, Fla., to spend her winters.

Maryce was preceded in death by her husband Jim; parents Maurice and Gert Anderson and parents-in-law Edward and Astrid (Helman) Farrell; brothers Jere, Tom, and Jim Anderson and sister Mary Phelan Rienks; siblings-in-law Edward Farrell, Joyce and Wayne Marmalick, Vern Nelson, and Killian Phelan.

She is survived by her sisters Pam (and Bud) Stevens, Trudy (and Tom) Driscoll; siblings-in-law Beth Farrell, Tuffy (and Karen) Farrell, Barb Nelson, Patt (and Jim) Brusoe, Dianne (and Mick) Bergeon, and Randy Rienks; children Barb Farrell Swenson, Susan Farrell and Jeff Szwarc, Cathy and Gordon Romanas, and Rob and Carolyn Farrell; grandchildren Sarah (Swenson) & Calvin Tintle, Holly Swenson and Alex Mee, Jake and Amy (Williams) Romanas, Ian Romanas, Natasha Farrell, and Hayden Farrell; great-grandchildren Claire and Henry Tintle; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A celebration of Maryce’s life will be held at the family’s final annual Corn Roast on Big Bay De Noc on August 8, 2026. Please contact Susan at sfarrell@boltz.com if you would like more information. Donations in Maryce’s memory are encouraged to the Rapid River Lions Club at P.O. Box 272, Rapid River, MI 49878, or your local Lions Club.