Muriel Helen Pories

Muriel Helen Pories, age 92, of Grand Rapids, MI passed away peacefully on March 15, 2018 at Sunrise of Cascade surrounded by those that loved her.

Muriel was born in Milwaukee, WI on December 19, 1925, the daughter of Jack and Jean Aronson and sister of Arnold Aronson. She was a skilled pianist at a young age and played for many years and one point desired to be a concert pianist. She graduated from Milwaukee Teachers College, and then married Walter Pories M.D. Over the course of their marriage, throughout moves to France, to Dayton, OH, Rochester, NY and Shaker Heights, OH, she raised four daughters (Susan, Mary Jane, Carolyn, and Kathy). For many years, Muriel was a first grade teacher; she had great compassion for children and loved teaching them to read, and her students loved her. She was a pioneer in Montessori “open classroom” teaching. Muriel earned her M.A.T in Administration from John Carroll University in Cleveland, OH; and later, returned to school to pursue a Juris Doctorate degree from the American College of Law in Los Angeles, CA. After graduating in 1986, she taught at John Jay College of Law in California. She was always a powerful advocate for others and herself.  Well into her eighties, she pursued and patented a design of a safer motorcycle helmet.

In all things, Muriel was fearless and independent and undaunted. In fact, fearless is a word that truly defined her all of her life. She once got out of her car and stopped traffic across all lanes on I-77 in Cleveland to rescue a dog. Those of us in the car watching her were terrified; she was not. 

Muriel was brilliant, perceptive, funny, nutty, and compassionate. She cherished visits with her family. She cared deeply about all animals and took in strays often, from dogs to raccoons to mice. She loved comedy, and especially Lucille Ball. She loved sailboat rides on Keuka Lake and warm weather and, most of all, California. She described herself as a “hot house flower.” She loved to hear the musicians in her family play her favorite song “You Are My Sunshine.” Muriel loved to talk to people wherever she went, whether it was at the corner cafe or a department store—and she always enjoyed a good cup of coffee and a hot fudge sundae. Even though she had an eye for renovating kitchens, Muriel did not love cooking. She followed politics very closely and was a diehard Democrat. Two of the more memorable moments of her life were meeting Bill Clinton and campaigning for Hillary Clinton. 

Muriel will be missed dearly by all. She is survived by her daughters Susan Pories and Chris Kiley of Boston, MA; Mary Jane Pories and Rhonda Lubberts of Grand Rapids, MI; Carolyn and David Lincoln of Chagrin Falls, OH; Kathy Pories and Geoff Martin of Durham, NC; her grandchildren Bart Kiley, Gabe Kiley and his wife Erica, and their children Birdie and Lee, Louis Kiley, Theo Lincoln, Chris Lincoln, Candace Lincoln, Annabelle Lincoln; her brother Arnold Aronson (Sylvia) of Minneapolis, MN; and her nieces Ann and Diane Aronson and their families and Linda Ross and Judy Hamrell and their families.

The family will receive friends at the Metcalf & Jonkhoff Funeral Service, 4291 Cascade Road, SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm on Sunday, March 18, 2018. Funeral services to be held immediately following visitation at 3:00 pm with Pastor Ruth Boven officiating. Interment Spring Hill Cemetery in Milwaukee, WI.   In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Kent County Animal Shelter of Grand Rapids.

The family is grateful for the many kindnesses of the generous and loving staff at Sunrise of Cascade.

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