Mary Ann (Mikulak) Ridilla

Mary Ann Ridilla (Mikulak) met our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, peacefully at Mount Alverna Nursing Home in Parma, Ohio, on Friday, September 4, 2026, at the age of 96. She leaves behind a legacy of unwavering faith, selfless love, devotion to her family, and a lifetime of service to others.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Mary Ann was the only child of Peter and Anna Mikulak and the beloved granddaughter of Anna Dula. Born to an immigrant mother and a father whose family was rooted in the coal-mining community of Pennsylvania, Mary Ann was raised in the Byzantine Catholic Church and grounded in the strong values her parents instilled in her. Her grandmother was a particularly important influence in her life, teaching her lessons of faith, perseverance, kindness, and family that Mary Ann carried with her throughout her 96 years.

Mary Ann grew up during the Great Depression and came of age during World War II. Though her early years were shaped by difficult times, she never lost sight of what mattered most: her faith in God, her love for her family, and the values she had been taught. Those lessons became the foundation of the life she built and were lovingly passed down to her children and grandchildren.

Her faith was not simply something Mary Ann practiced; it was the cornerstone of her life. She trusted God, turned to Him in prayer, and found comfort and strength in her relationship with Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. She faithfully prayed the Holy Rosary and devoted many years to serving her church, including caring for the altar linens and priestly vestments at St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church. Through her quiet acts of service, Mary Ann showed her family what it meant to live a life rooted in faith and love.

It was through her church choir that Mary Ann met the love of her life, John E. Ridilla. They married in 1949, after John returned from serving in the United States Navy during World War II. Together, they built a beautiful life centered on faith, family, and devotion to one another. At the time of Mary Ann's passing, they would have celebrated 78 years of marriage.

Mary Ann lived the promise she and John made to one another—“in sickness and in health”—with extraordinary devotion. For the ten years preceding John's death in 2018 at the age of 90, Mary Ann was his loving caregiver, providing him with meticulous, compassionate care. She never considered it a burden. It was an expression of the love and commitment she had promised him. Their marriage was a beautiful example of faithful love that endured through every season of life.

While Mary Ann worked for many years as a bank teller and savings counselor at Broadview Savings & Loan, a profession of which she was immensely proud because she genuinely loved helping people, the role she cherished most was that of wife, mother, grandmother, and homemaker.

She poured her heart into her home and her family. She mastered the art of baking and decorating beautiful cakes, sewing clothing, and maintaining a spotless home where her family always felt loved and cared for. She gave generously of her time to her community as a Cub Scout Leader, Brownie and Girl Scout Leader, and School Librarian. In every role, she found another opportunity to serve, encourage, teach, and love.

But her greatest accomplishment was her family.

Mary Ann and John raised three children: John (wife Susan), Therese (husband Christopher), and Maryann (husband Carl). To each of them, she gave the priceless gift of a mother's unconditional love. She was their teacher, their example, their source of strength, and their constant reminder of what it means to live with faith and kindness to all.

Her children are eternally grateful that God blessed them with Mary Ann as their mother.

Her grandchildren—Christine (husband Joel), Michael, Carl (wife Ariana), Daniel, and Catherine (husband Seth)—were her pride and joy. She delighted in them and made sure they knew where they came from and what truly mattered in life. Through her stories and example, Grandma taught them the history of their family, how to remain optimistic and find happiness, how to look for the good in others, how to care compassionately for those around them, and especially enjoy life!

She taught them that life should be lived fully—with laughter, friendship, music, and dancing.

“Dance through life” was more than a lesson from Grandma; it was something she embodied. Her smile could light up a room, and her joy was contagious. She knew how to make people feel welcome, loved, and valued.

Mary Ann was also lovingly known as “Grandma” to Michael, Julia, Timothy, and Eric. Her capacity to love extended far beyond her immediate family. She had a gift for making others feel as though they belonged, and countless people were touched by her kindness, generosity, and genuine interest in their lives.

Mary Ann's life was a testament to what it means to love God and love others.

Her greatest legacy will not be measured by the things she accomplished or the many roles she filled, but by the faith she lived, the love she gave, and the people she shaped. She taught her family through her words, but even more powerfully, she taught them through the way she lived: faithfully, humbly, joyfully, and with an open heart.

She leaves behind generations of people who carry a piece of her within them—her faith, her optimism, her compassion, her strength, her humor, her devotion to family, and her deep love for God.

Mary Ann will be profoundly missed. Yet her family finds comfort knowing that the woman who spent her life trusting in God has now gone home to Him. Her prayers, her lessons, her laughter, and her love will continue to live in the hearts and lives of all who were blessed to know her.

In our dear Mother's own words:

“When I don't know what to do, I just pray.”

Those simple words perhaps capture Mary Ann's life better than anything else. When life was difficult, she prayed. When she was grateful, she prayed. When she needed strength, she prayed. And she taught her family to do the same.

As we say goodbye to our beloved mother, grandmother, wife, and friend, we honor the greatest lesson she left us:

Trust in God. Love your family. Look for the good in others. Help those who need you. Find joy in life. And when you don't know what to do, pray.

May Mary Ann rest in the loving arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, whom she loved and served faithfully throughout her beautiful 96 years.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Family will receive friends at the Mallchok Funeral Home, 5660 Ridge Road, Parma, OH on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 from 5 – 8 p.m. Parastas Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The Office of Christian Burial will be held at St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cathedral, 5500 W. 54th Street, Parma, OH 44129 on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 10 a.m.

Interment will follow at Holy Spirit Cemetery.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Ann (Mikulak) Ridilla, please visit our floral store.