Mary Jane Switzler

To Mary Jane Switzler, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Mary, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Mary really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Mary was born on December 11, 1969 at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance, California. Her parents were Donald and Barbara Swanson. Mary was raised in Garden Grove, California. Even as a child, Mary had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Mary was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Mary managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Mary was raised with five siblings. She had 1 older brother, Don and 4 older sisters, Joann, Shelley, Donna, and Bonnie.

Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Mary was a class “cut-up.” She didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Mary simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Mary, grades may not have been the most important thing to her, but she really did enjoy her school experience. Since experience was Mary's best teacher. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Mary graduated from Bolsa Grande High School in 1987. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class was adult living - prep for adult life. Her favorite teacher was Mr. Shadid who looked liked Tom Selleck from Magnum P. I.

Mary never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Mary to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Mary delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Mary was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Mary utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of her best friends were Niki, Andrea, Laura. Later in life, she became friends with Samantha, Traci, Spike, Benny, and Sam. Mary loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Mary very easy to approach. She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Mary related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Mary was blessed with two children, two sons, Joshua and Nicholas. Mary had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Mary's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Mary had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Mary was a real “people person. ” she had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Mary liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Mary was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Mary's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Mary as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was Legal Assistant.

Mary enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Mary liked creating and making things. Mary enjoyed waterskiiing, motorcycle riding, roller blading with the kids, sewing, and doing her own home decorating. Mary was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Mary felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if she wasn’t the best, Mary loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Mary relished the opportunities where she could make an impact, and she would often push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Mary never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Mary played soccer. Mary was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were football and watching basketball.

Mary had an endless appetite for new and different activities. She was always ready to join in the fun and add her flair and energy to an organization. Because of her personality, her humor, and her ability to get along with everyone, Mary's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which she belonged. Mary like to volunteer at the elementary schools as a Teacher Assistant.

Living life in the fast lane suited Mary just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Hawaii, camping and water skiing at various lakes with her family.

Mary was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. Mary's favorite pet was her persian cat name Dutchess, aka puss-puss. They were best friends for 21 years.

Mary passed away on February 18, 2011 at her home in Henderson, Nevada. Mary fought a brave battle with Diabetes. She is survived by her children, Joshua and Nicholas; her mother Barbara, her brother Don and her sisters Joann, Donna, Shelley, and Bonnie. Services were held at Palm Mortuary.

Mary brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Mary Jane Switzler lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Henderson-Funeral Home, Henderson, NV.