Robert J. Whaley (December 8, 1840 – February 12, 1922)[1] served as Citizens Bank's president for over forty years.

[4] The Whaleys' only son, Donald, died at the age of ten after contracting diphtheria during a visit to Detroit with his mother.

[5] Still Mary's grief was near overwhelming, so Robert built her a 'new style' house on Stone Lake in Cassopolis, Michigan, where she could have peace and quiet and entertain close friends.

She soon found herself with new purpose running the Whaley Children's foundation and preparing the house for friends to come stay for weekend parties.

Through her foundation work Mary Whaley became close with a girl, Florence Bickford, and would welcome her into their family like she was their own child, although no formal adoption papers are known to exist.