Mary Ellen Proctor

Mary Ellen Proctor, affectionately known as “Sugar Woman,” on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, peacefully transitioned at McLaren Greater Lansing Hospital, surrounded by love. Age 72 years. She was born on Friday, September 4, 1953, in Camden, Mississippi, to her loving parents, Bertha and Henry Proctor.

Mary later moved to Lansing, Michigan, where she attended school within the Lansing School District and proudly graduated as a Big Red from J.W. Sexton High School.

Mary lived a life rooted in kindness, hard work, and quiet strength. She spent many dedicated years serving at Cooley Law School in Lansing and also offered her caring hands and compassionate heart as a nurse’s aide in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Her soft-spoken personality made her a calming presence wherever she went, and her gentle spirit touched countless lives.

Mary enjoyed the simple joys that made life sweet. She loved gambling at the casino and could pass the time with instant scratch-off tickets that always brought her excitement. She was also a lover of music and a faithful sports fan. Her beautiful smile, bright, warm, and unmistakably hers, will be forever missed.

Mary leaves to cherish her memory, her nephews Henry Lee (Vonda) Watts and Boston Jeffrey Watkins; nieces Loretta Watkins, Lori Fay Watkins, Iris Graham, and Rebecca Proctor; and a special nephew, Henry Wells. She is also survived by a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who will always carry her loving spirit in their hearts.

Mary Ellen “Sugar Woman” Proctor leaves behind a legacy of kindness, quiet grace, and a smile that will never be forgotten.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Bertha Proctor; sister, Lila Nell (Frank) Dennis; brother, Frank Proctor; niece, Bertha Sue Watkins; and nephews, Milton Ricky Watkins, Billy Ray Watkins, and Dana Frank Proctor.