John R. Broderick

John R. Broderick, age 91 of Plymouth, born September 11, 1924, died July 15, 2016, of natural causes, peacefully, surrounded by children and grandchildren, at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

John was born in Detroit, the son of Martin Bernard (Bernie) Broderick and Mary Ellen O’Grady of County Cork, Ireland. He was preceded in death by his brother Bernard (Jake) Broderick and is survived by his brother, Thomas Broderick of Northville.

John was a 1942 graduate of St. Cecelia’s Catholic High in Northwest Detroit. He served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1945 and saw action in North Africa, Sicily and Italy.

After the war, John enrolled at the University of Detroit and earned a civil engineering degree in 1953. While a student there, John met Aiden Mary Trudell of Wayne, Michigan, who was attending Marygrove College and Wayne State University as a Theatre Major.

John and Aiden were married on June 22, 1948. They moved to Plymouth, Michigan where they lived for 44 years and raised seven children: Deborah Russo (Patrick), Michael Broderick (deceased) (Mary Lou), Timothy Broderick (Susan Davies), Bridget Bilsky, John Broderick, (Denise Michlewicz, deceased) Rebecca Doherty (Robert) and Matthew Broderick (Sara Tobin).

Together John and Aiden literally built a six-bedroom summer home by themselves on the Canadian lakeshore of Lake St. Clair at Pointe Aux Roches, Ontario, one of only three Francophone communities in Ontario. The home became the gathering place for the Broderick children and grandchildren and provided wonderful life-long memories of John and Aiden and the family. Aiden Broderick passed away in 1992 after a long bout with cancer.

John worked as a civil engineer at Ford Motor Company from 1960 to 1995. where he worked on the design and construction of automotive manufacturing and assembly plants.

John married Mary Jane Bevelheimer in 1995. Mary Jane passed away in 2014.

John is survived by 22 grandchildren: Alyson Russo, Daniel Russo, Katherine Russo, Meghan Broderick, Patrick Broderick, Elizabeth Broderick, Sarah Bilsky, Molly Bilsky, Sam Bilsky, Max Bilsky, Stefanie Broderick, Bernadette Broderick, John Broderick, Joseph Broderick, Hannah Broderick, Aiden Doherty, Conor Doherty, Nora Broderick, Matthew Broderick, John Broderick, Liam Broderick and Madeline Broderick. John is also survived by six great grandchildren.

John Broderick came to personify the character, courage and selflessness of that generation of heroes who fought and won the most devastating war in the history of humankind. He was also very much in the mold of that same generation of men and women who then spent the remainder of their lives rebuilding the world for future generations.

Visitation will take place from 3:00 pm until 9:00 pm on Wednesday, July 21 at the Schrader-Howell Funeral Home with a scripture service from 7:00 to 7:30 pm, 280 South Main Street, Plymouth, Michigan, 48170. (1-734-453-3333) The Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Thursday July 22, 2016, at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church with visitation at 10:00 am and Mass at 10:30 am, 47650 North Territorial Rd., Plymouth, Michigan 48170 (1-734-453-0326)