Mary Jo Putrow

An avid hiker and lover of nature, Mary traveled often — whether spending time exploring with family and friends or independently. She loved the West Coast of Michigan, the Upper Peninsula, Hawaii, Sedona, National Parks, visiting her daughter in Colorado, road-tripping across the U.S., camping, and being near water, collecting interesting rocks and beach glass.

Mary loved games — Azul and cribbage were among her favorites — and was fiercely competitive. She took great pride in working difficult jigsaw puzzles, following a very specific (and relentless) method for sorting pieces, never hesitating to let you know if you were doing it wrong (you were).

She was proud of her involvement with Voters Not Politicians. In 2017, Mary spent months canvassing neighborhoods around Lansing, collecting signatures with the goal of ending gerrymandering in Michigan. She collected so many signatures that she was invited to present the boxes of petitions to lawmakers at the state capitol. The bipartisan bill was passed as a result of the efforts of many, including Mary.

Growing up in Mason, Mary played the flute in the high school band and later in an orchestra in Howell. She loved music, and during her last several months, the songs of John Prine, Cat Stevens, and Tom Petty played in the background. Her husband, Gary, and long-time family friend Peter Bedford often provided live music, which she enjoyed immensely.

Mary gave great hugs, was creative, thoughtful, and possessed a witty — often dark — sense of humor. She was not afraid to speak her mind, wore her heart on her sleeve, and adored dogs. Her love for dogs cannot be overstated. She will be deeply missed.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Adrienne (Erik Patnude), and their two dogs, Charlie and Klaus; her husband, Gary, and their two dogs, Willow and Oliver; her siblings, Sabrina Free, Tracy Wyman, and Jerome "Hank" (Anya Dranova) Swain; her uncle, Wallie Swain; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Gerald "Jerry" Swain and Joan Krachenfels; her siblings, Jeff and Patty Swain; and her dear Aunt Lorraine and Uncle Joe.

A gathering and celebration of life will be held in July, with details to follow.