Maryellen Bernadine Swets Kirkpatrick
October 26, 1933 – June 10, 2023

Mary Kirkpatrick of Lehi, Utah, passed away Saturday, June 10, at the age of 89 of natural causes.   She was born on October 26, 1933, in Denver, Colorado to the late Boudewyn Adrianus Peter Swets and Aline May Bacon Swets. Mary was preceded in death by her parents and 2 brothers Adrian (Suzie), Danny (Rosalie), and a brother-in-law Gary Anderson.

Mary was the third of six children. She was raised in Eagle Rock, California. She lived in various locations in Southern California until the last year of her life.

She married Melvin Lee Beck and into that marriage 2 sons were born, Glenn and Wayne. They were divorced in 1971.

She then met and married Eugene J. "Kirk" Kirkpatrick on May 6, 1972. Together they lived in Reseda, California until his death in 2001.
After Kirk passed, she decided to sell the house in Reseda and moved to Hemet, CA to be closer to her sister Geri. She lived there in a mobile home park for several years until Geri moved to Arizona. Wanting to be closer to her son Glenn and his family she moved to Simi Valley, California. She lived with Glenn and Kathy for over 10 years.

In 2022, Mary moved to Utah to be near her son Wayne and his family. She resided at Bellaview Assisted Living. Because she was stubborn like her Dutch father, living in an assisted living facility was a hard transition for her but she was able to make several good friends while there and was treated with much kindness and care.

Mary enjoyed many things in life. Hanging out at the beach with her friends, camping, trips to Disneyland with the children, especially on rainy days, vacations and playing card games with her friends and with her grandchildren. She loved the outdoors and for decades she would go for a walk almost every day. She enjoyed being around people and pets. She would spend hours just sitting on the porch watching the happenings around town. She would frequently tell anyone who listened that she 'was a people watcher.' When she wasn't 'people watching,' she would read a book or work on her puzzle books. She was a keen observer of people and her surroundings but set a high standard for the family to always avoid gossip. She was always generous to everyone and would be a very attentive listener and would have great empathy towards others. It was important for her to stay in touch with her siblings and friends, even if it was by telephone.

She worked for many years as a hostess at Bob's Big Boy Restaurant. After Bob's she obtained a position as a cashier at Hughes Markets in Studio City, California until she retired from the workforce. Those jobs suited her perfectly because she loved interacting with customers.  After her retirement she and Kirk took a 'bucket-list' tour cross country for several months with their vintage travel trailer. They came home with many stories about their adventures. They visited as many sites as possible along their way to Washington DC. They had a special reunion with Kirk's Navy buddies, which was a highlight of their 'road trip.'

Mary's smile could light up the room. She will be missed and remembered as our "Gigi."

She is survived by her sisters Jeanine (Marshall) Johnson, Geraldine Anderson, and Gordon (Jacinda) Swets.  Sons Glenn (Kathy) Beck, Wayne (Jennifer) Beck, 7 grandchildren and 10 great- grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Wing Mortuary 118 East Main, Lehi, Utah on Saturday June 17, at 11:00 am. Interment will follow at the American Fork Cemetery.