Mary Marie Liss Joslyn Potter

OBITUARY: Mary Marie Wesley 1951-2018
Mary Marie Wesley, a full-blooded Native American, walked on July 27, 2018. Mary was born on April 6, 1951 in Battle Creek. Her father, Joseph George Wesley was a member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Tribe and mother Irene a member of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Indians.

Mary’s great-grandfather was the Potawatomi Chief Stephen Pamptopee and her great-great-grandfather was Chief Phineas Pamptopee. Her paternal great-great grandfather was Chippewa Chief Buffalo (Ojibwe: Ke-che-waish-ke/Gichi-weshkiinh) “Great-renewer”. Chief Buffalo is memorialized in the U.S. Capitol where two busts are on display and his profile was imaged on the buffalo nickel. Irene was Chair of the first Elders Committee which served as the Judicial Branch of Government for NHBPI. Mary’s brother Joseph George Wesley Jr. was Tribal Chairman from 1979 - 1981 and had the reservation updated to a historical status, was the first to start housing and grants, and took the first steps for NHBPI to become a federally recognized tribe. Mary’s sister Laura Wesley Spurr, Tribal Chair, led a ten-year campaign to establish FireKeepers Casino near Battle Creek and planned and implemented the construction of office buildings, housing, medical facilities, and tribal ceremonial grounds on the reservation.

Mary graduated from Athens High School as Valedictorian of her class in 1969, and from Kellogg Community College as a Registered Nurse. Her pride was her family and children Robert Keith Potter II, Bradley Stephen Potter, and Sarah Marie Joslyn.

Mary worked at the Battle Creek V.A. Hospital for 21 years, the Regional Psychiatric Hospital in Kalamazoo, and tenderly cared for her 95-year old mother and special needs son for 48 years. Mary enjoyed participating in tribal pow-wows, Potawatomi gatherings, and special events involving Indian culture, dances and crafts such as weaving baskets from black ash and preserving and collecting native cultural artifacts. Mary attended the Athens Methodist Church and the Athens Indian Church. She formed lifelong friendships with many townspeople from Athens and the surrounding area.

Mary was predeceased by her parents, Joseph George and Irene Wesley, her husband Carl Joslyn, brother Joe Wesley Jr., sister Laura Wesley Spurr, and her beloved daughter Sarah Marie Joslyn. She is survived by her sons Robbie and Bradley, Aunt Millie and her cousins Sharon Kelley, Priscilla Wesley Piwowar, Maureen Kisabeth, Georgan Matthews, Brian Wesley, and Penny Honke, brother-in-law Stephen (Joy) Spurr, her friend Donald Watkins, and a large extended family.

Spouses:
Robert Keith Potter (divorced)
Gary John Liss * 1954-2006
Carl Joseph Joslyn * 1944-2008