Mary Lee Shotwell

Mary Lee Shotwell, 75, of rural Robinson, IL, passed away in the comfort of her home on Monday, November 24, 2025, surrounded by the love of her family. She was born on July 8, 1950, in Wyandotte, MI, and grew up in Lincoln Park, MI, a strong–willed girl who already carried the determination that would mark her entire life. She graduated from Lincoln Park High School in 1968, and it was in that same neighborhood that the next chapter of her life began. She lived just down the road from the boy who would one day become her husband. Soon after Russell Shotwell came home from Vietnam, they married on October 17, 1970, and stepped into a life built around devotion to one another. Mary took care of Russ with a steadfast kind of love. Every day when he walked in the door, she had slippers waiting, a drink ready, and his ashtray set beside his favorite spot. Their rhythm was simple, yet deep, and it carried them through forty-six years of marriage.

Mary worked at Sears in Lincoln Park before returning to her alma mater, where she found the work that mattered most to her. For thirteen years, she served as a hall monitor, offering guidance, kindness, and firmness when it was needed. In the evenings, she poured herself into the PASS program, helping troubled students find their footing. She believed every kid deserved someone in their corner, and she showed up for them with stubborn patience and a gritty kind of compassion. If Mary set her mind to helping you succeed, she would not stop until you did. There was no end to what she could accomplish when she cared about you, and she cared about a lot of people.

Her strength, though unmistakable, was always matched by a quiet selflessness. She was the first to help, the one you could call at any hour, the one who somehow knew what you needed before you said a word. She loved deeply and practically, and she held her family together with the determination of someone who considered it the most important thing she would ever do. Every week, she gathered them for a meal, making sure no one drifted too far, making sure they stayed connected, making sure they knew they were hers.

And she stayed connected in her own way. Life360 was her window into their world. She tracked everyone, kept tabs on their schedules, and had no problem telling them when they were running late! She did it because she cared. She needed to know they were safe. And safety was something she gave as much as she guarded. The same instinct that kept her watching over her family also made her a refuge for her grandchildren and great–grandchildren. They were her heart, and with them she became more than a grandmother. She was their confidant, their safe place, their vault. They could tell her anything, and she would hold it close. She knew their stories better than anyone, and she was honored to be the one they trusted.

This is the legacy Mary leaves behind. A lifetime of loving people through action. A family knit together by her strength. A quiet, steady presence that will be missed more deeply than words can say.

She is survived by her son & daughter–in–law, Russ & Alycia Shotwell; her four grandchildren & their spouses, Samantha & McKenzie Shotwell, Briana & Travis Bell, Tristan & Sierra Shotwell, and Gabe & Tiffany Shotwell; her great-grandchildren, Anthony, Ava, and Maia Shotwell; her brother & sister–in–law, Gilbert & Judy Gyarmati; as well as several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Russell Shotwell, and by her parents, Gabor Gyarmati & Julia Joan Potemko.

It was Mary’s wish to be cremated without a public service. Her family requests that memorials be made to Disabled American Veterans (DAV). Donations may be made online by clicking the link below. Memorial gifts may also be made by check, with memorial envelopes available at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson, which is assisting the family at this time.