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Obituary
Lawrence Alden Bodary, affectionately known as Alden, “Aldie” and “Papa Blue-Eyes” of Ypsilanti, Michigan, passed away peacefully on November 1, 2025, at St. Joseph Village. He was 93 years old. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, Alden’s life was marked by service, faith, hard work, and deep love for his family and community.
Born on November 28, 1931, in Flat Rock, Michigan. He was the oldest son of Andrew E. Bodary and Ellen Belle (Emerson) Bodary. He grew up in a close-knit family that instilled in him the values of faith, integrity, and dedication. He graduated from Michigan State University in the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources - Department of Forestry, where he proudly participated in the ROTC program, which shaped his lifelong sense of duty and discipline. Not long after, on October 24, 1953, he married the love of his life, Mary Ann (Klaes), beginning a remarkable partnership that spanned more than seventy-two years.
Following college, Alden served his country in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1955 obtaining the rank of 1st LT and serving as a reservist for several years after his active duty. He worked for a short time in his father’s construction business before starting a distinguished career in the insurance industry in the early 1960’s. He worked with Sentry Insurance as an agent for more than 30 years, later continuing his service to clients with the Michigan Retail Hardware Association for another decade. Alden’s care for people extended far beyond business — he was known for his compassion, patience, and remarkable memory; he could recall not just a client’s name, but their address and zip code as well. His work was more than a job — it was an extension of his love for serving others.
Faith was a guiding force in Alden’s life. A lifelong member of St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in New Boston, he served as a lector, a Eucharistic minister for shut-ins, and active parish volunteer. He also devoted his time and energy to the St. Paul of the Cross Retreat Center in Detroit, a place that became like a second home to him making more than 44 weekend retreats and volunteering his time there. His strong sense of community and gentle spirit touched everyone he encountered.
Alden’s passions centered on family, faith, and the simple joys of life. He was an avid Detroit Tigers fan. Gardening was his therapy and pride — the family’s table was always filled with fresh vegetables harvested from the carefully tended garden in the summer and canned and frozen vegetables carefully managed by his Sweetheart in the winter months to feed their growing family. He also enjoyed planting evergreen trees to be shared as Christmas trees for friends and family. His hands were never idle; whether building his own home, cutting wood for the stove that warmed his family, or creating wooden blocks for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Alden embodied the spirit of a craftsman and provider. He was also an efficiency expert, not wanting to waste any resources. He was frequently described by those who knew him as the “energizer bunny” because of his seemingly endless energy.
A committed family man, Alden found his greatest joy in being surrounded by those he loved. He is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Ann; his children Joseph (Brenda), Michael (Lisa), John (Michelle), David (Susan) Jeanne (Robert) Roelant, and Peter (Jennifer aka “Cricket”); his sister, Mary Ellen Bodary; and his brother, Alan (Kathy)Bodary and sister-in-law Ethel Bodary. His legacy also lives on in his (21) grandchildren and (20) great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews and cousins who will forever remember his warmth, bright smile, and steadfast love.
He is preceded in death by his parents Andrew and Ellen Bodary, parents-in-law Frank and Philomena Klaes, brothers Charles (Ann) Bodary, James Bodary, Daniel (Beverly) Bodary, and brother-in-law’s Frank Klaes, Jerry Klaes and Leo Klaes.
A visitation at Michigan Memorial Park Funeral Home, Flat Rock, MI, will be held Sunday November 9th, 2025, from 3:00-8:00pm with a rosary at 7:00pm. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in New Boston, Michigan at 12:00 noon on Monday November 10th, 2025, lying in repose at 11:00am. Fr. John Hedges, Pastor will concelebrate with Fr. Brendan Walsh a friend of the family and Pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Parish in Dexter, MI. An internment of Alden’s cremains will be held on his birthday, November 28th, 2025, at 2:00pm at Michigan Memorial Park Funeral Home, Flat Rock, MI, including military honors.
Memorial donations can be made to: St. Stephens Catholic Church of New Boston, MI., St. Paul of the Cross Retreat Center in Detroit, MI., or Arbor Hospice of Ann Arbor.
Alden’s life was one richly lived — filled with dedication, faith, service, and love. Those who knew him will remember his welcoming smile, his unwavering kindness, and his ability to make everyone feel like family.
