Mary Lynne Swick

Mary Lynne Swick died unexpectedly, but peacefully in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013, at the age of 71. She was born on Jan. 1, 1942, in Del Norte, Colo., to Randolph and Harriette McCluggage, so she lived the full arc of 71 years, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. That was characteristic: her life was full.

Her family moved to Juneau, Alaska, in 1950. After a childhood spent at beautiful Auke Lake, where her father served as minister for the Chapel-by-the-Lake, she graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in English literature. Mary Lynne married her high school sweetheart, Herbert Swick, on June 29, 1963, and they shared a very loving marriage for more than 50 years, blessed by three daughters, Kristin, Elizabeth and Diane.

Mary Lynne had the proudest and most important career of all, that of mother and homemaker. Kristin notes, "She shared with us her enthusiasm, acceptance, support and love of learning. When we were young, she was often in our school libraries and orchestra rooms. As we grew, she supported whatever ventures we undertook. She welcomed sons-in-law in ways that made them feel at home. She embraced every chapter of parenting." Elizabeth knows that "her sense of humor and mischievous twinkle stayed with her through all stages of life. She taught us how to open our hearts to both give and receive love, and we will carry that with us forever." And Diane says, "I strive every day to live by her example. Her ability to face every challenge with courage, humor and a positive attitude is one of the things I most aspire to. Every time I think of her, I picture her with a big smile and a laugh (or giggles) and to me that is such a powerful indicator of a happy life well lived." Another daughter, Nithima Chaowalit, an exchange student from Thailand, joined the family almost 30 years ago, and for her, Mary Lynne is still "Mom."

She enjoyed volunteering, whether serving as a volunteer docent at the Milwaukee Public Museum or doing whatever needed to be done at a local school library.

After moving to Missoula in early 2000, Mary Lynne quickly recognized the unique nature of this vibrant community and its people. She was an inveterate learner, her keen curiosity and diverse interests being piqued but never sated by a love of good books, concerts, lectures and MOLLI classes at the University.

Mary Lynne was an accomplished knitter. She always had a project, or several, underway, creating scores of hand-knit pieces of love for friends and family. In over 40 years, she never met a cookie she couldn't bake, often pairing a cookie to a specific historical event, the more obscure the better. Think one-armed gingerbread men to celebrate the victory of Admiral Lord Nelson at Trafalgar, or Missouri River sandbars for Lewis and Clark. As a close friend noted, "she served her wit dry, very dry, with a splash of wry." Mary Lynne was filled by the joy of life, and she enjoyed the company of others, often quietly but always deeply.

Mary Lynne Swick is survived by her husband Herbert; daughters, Kristin Wong (Philip) of Saline, Mich., Elizabeth Galpin (Michael) of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Diane Scott (Martin) of Edinburgh, Scotland. She loved deeply and is survived by six grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother Dennis McCluggage (Brenda) of Juneau, Alaska, and her sister Margaret Smith (Paul) of Fort Collins, Colo.

The family would like to thank her many caregivers and many friends, all of whom enriched her life in so many ways. No immediate services are planned, but a memorial celebration of her life will be scheduled sometime in the coming weeks

Read Mary Swick's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.