Mary Ann Swope

Mary Ann Gay Swope, 87, of New Carlisle, IN passed away peacefully on June 3, 2024. She was born on October 5, 1936, in LaPorte to Frank and Viola (Bunch) Gay. Mary Ann grew up in the family home on Ada Street in New Carlisle, graduating from New Carlisle High School in 1954. She attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo and the College of Santa Fe in New Mexico.
She resided in Southern California for 22 years before returning to her hometown in 1980. She was an administrative assistant at Hughes Aircraft Company in the Los Angeles area where she met David I. Swope. They married on August 10, 1966. He passed away on January 21, 2000.
Mary Ann loved being part of the New Carlisle community. After raising her family, she became a sales person and buyer for Winnie Watson at Watson's Collectible's in downtown New Carlisle. Her passion, however, was photographing and writing about town events. She contributed countless photographs and stories as managing editor and writer for The Trail (1999-2001); as assistant editor and writer for The New Carlisle News (2002-2015); and as a contributor to the New Carlisle Gazette (2016-2017).
In 2008 she received the President's Award for Excellence in Journalism, a state award from the Hoosier American Legion Press Association of the American Legion Department of Indiana. In 2011 she was presented the Historian Award at Historic New Carlisle, Inc's Annual Preservation Awards ceremony and honored to be New Carlisle's Hometown Days Parade Marshal.
Mary Ann was a board member of Historic New Carlisle, Inc. and served as secretary on the New Carlisle Cemetery Board. She also enjoyed memberships with the New Carlisle Business & Community Association and the New Prairie Christian Fellowship at Hamilton Church.
She is predeceased by her parents, husband David, brother Roger Gay and sister-in-law Velva, brother Richard Gay, sister Janet Greene and brother-in-law Harold, brother-in-law Bud Miller, brother-in-law James Stark, and stepson David Michael Swope.
Surviving family members are her sons, Eric Swope of Mishawaka, IN and Damon (Tracey) Swope of Brookline, NH; grandchildren Cecilia Swope of Mishawaka, Ryan (Rachel) Swope of Philadelphia, PA and Kyle Swope of Greensboro, NC; sisters Norma Miller of Vancouver, WA, and Frances Stark of Anaheim, CA; stepson Steven (Nita) Swope of Grants Pass, OR; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and step-grandchildren.
A Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 a.m. EDT Saturday, June 15, 2024, in Hamilton Church, 31519 Chicago Trail, New Carlisle, Indiana. A reception will be held at Monroe's Crossing in Hudson Lake immediately following the service (11 a.m. - 1 p.m. EDT)
The family would like to thank the staff at Hamilton Grove in New Carlisle, her caregivers, and the Center for Hospice Care for all their support.
The Kaniewski Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to Historic New Carlisle, PO Box 107, New Carlisle, IN 46552 (historicnewcarlisle.org).
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Mary Ann Swope, please visit our floral store.