Ishpeming – Mary H. Polkinghorne, age 85 of 350 W. Division St. Ishpeming passed away on Saturday May 26, 2007 surrounded by her loving family at the Bell Hospital in Ishpeming where she had been a patient for the past day.


Mary was born January 2, 1922 in Ishpeming the daughter of the late Edward and Bridget (Redmond) Hickey. Mary was a graduate of the Ishpeming High School, Class of 1940 and then attended vocational school it Detroit becoming a comptometer operator. She moved to Philadelphia for a short period prior to returning to Ishpeming. Mary owned and operated Hickey's Bar in Ishpeming from 1945 – 1996, and until a few months ago was still doing the bookwork for the bar. She will be remembered as a woman ahead of her time, as she was a single mother raising her three children and running a business at the same time.

Mary was a former member of the Ishpeming Coral Club, and St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. She was a member of the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association. She had a true love for animals and enjoyed gardening, sewing, knitting and crocheting. Her children will always recall Mary as the #1 devoted Mother.

Survivors include a son Brian (Denise) Polkinghorne of Ishpeming, two daughters – Julie (Jeffrey) Mathews of Ishpeming and Susan Jackson and her significant other Ivan Taylor of Ishpeming, eight grandchildren – Trevor, Derek, Brendan and Conor Polkinghorne, Jarred and Steven Mathews & Jason and Justin Marietti, two great grandchildren – Jeffrey Mathews and Darian Polkinghorne along with her friend and former son-in-law Michael Alderton. She was preceded in death by her parents, her devoted companion Bud Salminen, a great grandchild Brian David Gugin and her former husband Ward Polkinghorne.

The family will greet friends and relatives from 4:30 – 6:30pm on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at the Bjork & Zhulkie Funeral Home, where funeral services will be held at 6:30pm with the Rev. Fr. James Challancin to officiate. Inurnment will take place at the Ishpeming Cemetery. A funeral luncheon will follow the services at the St. Joseph Catholic Church Hall.

Honorary pallbearers will be Mary's grandsons.

Memorials may be directed to the Marquette Co. Humane Society in Mary's memory.