Mary Jamieson (far left) at the closing of 1245 5th Street. The closing fell on Valentines Day, so Mary brought heart-shaped cookies from Rykes to mark the special day. She had an eye for details, and a knack for celebration.
We first met Mary Jamieson 10 years ago when a retiring board member suggested Mary for board membership. She described Mary as a dedicated downtown neighbor and a skilled realtor--someone who might be able to help us with our home rehabilitation adventures.
That board member was spot on.
In our decade of partnership, Mary worked with us to facilitate dozens of home sales and purchases in downtown Muskegon.
“There’s just something about her,” says Kimi George, Rehab Specialist & Housing Development Catalyst at Community enCompass. “She was warm, joyful, inviting, and she immediately fit in so well. There was no house that she wasn’t willing to show us, and mind you--most of the houses we’ve looked at over the years are blighted properties, and in really rough shape. But she understood our vision to save these houses and provide affordable housing.”
Mary was willing to entertain and facilitate our wildest notions of what was possible, walking us into buildings that most realtors would advise against. She saw the “good bones'' and the latent potential.
“I never heard Mary say, ‘We can’t go into this house, it’s too rough,’ says Kimi, recalling the formidable Mary, “Instead, she’d say, ‘Here’s the basement. You want to go down there, sweetie?’ Even when she was going through significant health challenges, she still went into houses with us.”
As a way to further invest in her neighborhood, Mary always returned her commission from purchases or sales to Community enCompass. Between those donated commissions, and the time she spent showing houses, writing offers, filling out paperwork and answering our every question, Mary’s contributions are immeasurable.
We received news that our dear friend Mary passed away on Monday, February 8, 2021. As we remember Mary and grieve our loss, we feel the balm of gratitude. This last decade of work would not have been possible without her joy, her generosity, and her guidance. She lived with us in a state of possibility. She knew the value of core city Muskegon--her home--and that knowledge guided how she lived.
To honor and celebrate Mary’s legacy, Community enCompass is establishing the Mary Jamieson Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Fund. This Fund will be available to families who are eligible to purchase one of our EACH Homes, and who are at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). (In Muskegon county, 80% AMI for a family of four is $51,100. View more AMI calculations for Muskegon County here.)
The Mary Jamieson DPA Fund will pay down some of the mortgage on the front end, so that families have more favorable interest rates and lower monthly payments for their new home. Mary’s donated commissions from the last 10 years will act as the foundation for this fund.
“As I get older, I realize there are things in this life we can’t control,” says Kimi, “but we can control how we live and the contributions that we make. In that respect, Mary Jamieson lived well.”
It’s hard to imagine a world without you, Mary. We’re forever grateful for you.
Author: Chelsea Tanis