Mary L. Swymeler

Mary Lorraine (Barsch) Swymeler

August 31, 1945 - August 27, 2025

Mary, affectionately known as "Bunny" by her family, was born on August 31, 1945, in St. Joseph, Missouri to Cletus and Delia Barsch. The first of eight children.

Bunny attended grade school at St. Patrick's and graduated high school at Bishop LeBlond in St. Joseph. She went on to receive her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education at UCO in Edmond, Oklahoma.

She married the love of her life, Gary Swymeler on Friday, March 13, 1964. Together, they had four wonderful children. After traveling from Kansas City, Missouri, to Franklin, Tennessee, to Farmer's Branch, Texas for Gary's job, the family settled in Midwest City, Oklahoma in 1974. That is where they became members of the St. Philip Neri Catholic Church family, and where she faithfully attended until her death.

She was a lifelong lover of books, primarily children's books. While her children attended school, Bunny began volunteering at the St. Philip Neri School library in 1977. This led to her dream position as the librarian at St. Philip's. She spent countless hours transforming that little library into a wonderous world for all the school children and their families. Every year, the library was transformed into a different world, culture, country, or place in time. She also served as vice principal. Bunny reluctantly retired from her favorite place to be in 2016.

She also loved her yard, flowers, and being outside. She loved mowing, weeding, planting, going for healthy walks, and swimming in the pool with her grandchildren. The many silly games they played together in the pool will never be forgotten.

Bunny had a passion for many things, whether it was sweets, the many antiques Gary and her collected, wine glasses, tiny things, pencils, books, plants, Legos, holy cards, pictures, and items, to the plastic bread clips that line her wire dish rack; She loved it all.

Above all, she was deeply devoted to her Catholic faith. Her family strongly believes she zoomed right up to heaven without having to knock at the pearly gate.

Bunny was preceded in death by her only son, Gary D whom she forever called Boy, and her great grandson, Uriah Paul, sisters Teresa Barsch and Kathy Stufflebean, and brother Michael Barsch.

She is survived by her husband, Gary, daughters Gracie (Chris) Lemons, Liz (Phil) Charalampous, Scarlett (Kevin) Williams, daughter-in-law Terri Swymeler, 17 grandchildren, 9 ½ great grandchildren, brother-in-law Harold Stufflebean, brothers Clete (Patty) Barsch, Raymond (Kerry) Barsch, John (Angie) Barsch, and sister Kim Goehring, and a host of nieces and nephews.

A Rosary/Visitation will be held at Barnes Friederich and Pope at 6:00 PM on Friday, September 5, 2025. Funeral mass will be at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church in Midwest City, Oklahoma at 10:30 AM on Saturday, September 6, 2025.

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