Mary Geyelin

Mary Geyelin, 70, passed away peacefully after an extraordinary and courageous fight with Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s disease. In her final moments, she was surrounded by her children, Sadye and Chloe, who she loved fiercely and unconditionally. Even as her mind and body began to fail her, her love for her children never did.

Mary was truly one for the ages. Her humor was unmatched, her wit was as sharp as they come, and she had a personality that was impossible to forget. If you knew Mary, you knew there was never going to be a dull moment.

She was also incapable of driving past a garage sale. If Mary spotted a sign, you better believe the brakes were being applied immediately. Buying and selling wasn’t just something she did, it was her greatest joy. She could turn a $2 purchase into a $20 sale and somehow make you believe she had just pulled off the deal of the century.

And then there was the casino. Mary loved it. She had an uncanny ability to stretch a dollar tenfold and, in her mind, probably considered herself a financial strategist rather than a gambler. Her final birthday was her 70th, and naturally, she spent it exactly where she wanted to be—at the casino, playing the slots. She wouldn’t have had it any other way. Whether she was hunting for a bargain, working a deal, or trying her luck at the casino, Mary knew how to make the most out of every dollar and every adventure.

Mary was married to Dave, the father of her children, for 25 years. He spent most of those 25 years wondering what treasures, projects, or questionable purchases he might come home to after work. That was simply Mary, always on the hunt for her next great find and always keeping life interesting.

For the last 10 years of her life, Mary was married to Phil, and together they built a beautiful life filled with incredible travel, live music, weekends at the beach house, and countless memories made along the way. Phil passed away in December 2025, but the life and love they shared gave Mary so many beautiful memories to carry with her.

Mary and Julie, her beloved “Ju Ju,” were best friends for 50 years. They never seemed to make it through a sentence without cracking up, had their own language, and were as thick as thieves. Mary loved her Ju Ju, and she was Ju Ju’s Moo Moo.

In the last nine months, Mary often talked about wanting her own TikTok called “Riding in the Car with Mary.” And honestly, that pretty much summed up life with her. It was her world, and everyone else was just living in it. Her children were determined to honor her biggest wish: that she never have to live in a nursing home. They were able to keep her at home, surrounded by a team of people who loved her and would do just about anything she asked. And in true Mary fashion, somehow, it was never quite enough. But that was Mary—she knew what she wanted, she knew how she wanted it done, and she was never afraid to make sure everyone else knew it too.

Mary fought one heck of a fight, and when it was finally time to go, she went out the only way Mary knew how—stubborn, strong-willed, and entirely on her own terms.

Mary leaves behind her children, Sadye and Chloe; her son-in-law, Kelly; her two grandchildren, Brecken and Rhett; and her beloved best friend of 50 years, Julie.

While the hole Mary leaves behind is impossible to put into words, so is the life she lived. Mary was one of a kind, and there will never be another quite like her.

Swartz Family Community Mortuary and Memorial Center 300 South U.S. 31 (Morton Street) in Franklin, IN is handling the arrangements.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.swartzmortuary.com. Information 317-738-0202.