Mary Lundwall

Mary Ethel Lundwall was born on March 28, 1945, in Whittier, California, to George Blake Jr. and Freda Elizabeth Knudson Blake. She passed away peacefully on October 17, 2026, surrounded by her family, following a journey with Alzheimer's disease.

Family was always at the heart of Mary's life, and she had a wonderful way of making life fun and memorable for the people she loved. She was full of life, friendly, and always enjoyed a good conversation. Her beautiful smile, infectious laugh, and great sense of humor made her someone people loved spending time with. Mary was also incredibly strong and determined. When life presented challenges, she found a way through them and rarely let anything stand in her way. She had a positive outlook on life and a genuine interest in the people around her.

Mary was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Throughout her life, she served in many leadership callings and put her heart into each responsibility. She was organized, hardworking, and knew how to bring people together to get things done. She listened to others, valued their ideas, and developed many lasting friendships through her service. Mary and Neal also served an 18-month mission in Lund, Sweden, where they worked with young adults and formed friendships that remained special to them.

Mary was creative, resourceful, and an accomplished seamstress who made beautiful things for her family. She enjoyed learning about the history of places they visited on family trips and loved spending time outdoors working in her yard and tending to her beautiful rose garden. She took pride in keeping the yard looking beautiful and could often be found raking pine needles while Neal worked on his backyard railroad. She also enjoyed feeding the koi fish in their pond and watching the birds that visited her feeders. Mary loved Elvis Presley and his music. She also loved listening to her daughter play the piano and Neal sing.

Mary and her husband, Neal, shared a wonderful life together, filled with love, laughter, and adventures. They served together as temple workers in the Los Angeles California Temple and enjoyed cruises, road trips, and a memorable journey across the United States. Mary and Neal loved going to Knott’s Berry Farm and went monthly for several years.

Mary was the lighthearted one in their marriage. She loved making Neal laugh, cooking his favorite meals, and was known for pulling some pretty good April Fools' pranks on him. Together, they created a beautiful backyard that included a steam engine and rideable train cars built by Neal. Before Mary needed memory care, the two of them often enjoyed riding the train around their yard in the evenings. When Mary eventually moved into a memory care facility, Neal moved in with her so they could remain together. Their love and devotion to each other were evident throughout their life together.

Family dinners were important to Mary, and many wonderful memories were made around the dinner table. Sunday dinners were especially memorable, with the family gathered around the dining room table, eating a delicious roast dinner on her beautiful china, followed by her famous chocolate cake with homemade frosting. Leftover roast became Monday night tacos, and with six kids competing for the last one, there was never a taco left over!

She had a way of making every holiday special. Valentine's Day meant heart-shaped cookies with each child's name, Christmas brought festive sweaters and jingle-bell or flashing-reindeer necklaces, and Halloween meant plenty of decorations, spook alleys and the famous candy trade. Mary also faithfully displayed the American flag each day. She was very patriotic and loved celebrating the 4th of July. She put thought and creativity into family traditions, making even the simplest celebrations memorable.

Being a mother meant everything to Mary. She loved planning family vacations filled with fun and adventure. Growing up, Mary loved spending days at Huntington Beach, a place she and Neal later enjoyed taking their own children. She shared her love of the beach with them, teaching them to body surf, building sandcastles, and collecting seashells together. Mary encouraged her children to be curious, explore, and learn through experience. When they studied the California missions in school, she took them to visit the actual sites so they could learn firsthand and bring their school projects to life.

Mary believed in her children and helped them believe in themselves. She taught them to work hard, do their best, and think through problems by considering their options and making thoughtful decisions. As her children grew up and moved away from home, she remained an important part of their everyday lives. She was interested in what was happening with each of them, always ready to listen, offer advice, celebrate their accomplishments, or simply enjoy a conversation on the phone. No matter what was happening in their lives, her children knew they could call Mom and she would answer.

Mary was proud of her Swedish heritage and enjoyed sharing its traditions with her family. Santa Lucia, Swedish Christmas traditions, and Midsummer celebrations were special parts of her children's childhood.

Her grandchildren lovingly called her "Mormor," the Swedish word for maternal grandmother. Mary treasured being Mormor to her 15 grandchildren and took a genuine interest in each of their lives. She made blessing outfits, embroidered pillows with their names and birth dates, and created T-shirt quilts filled with special memories. She and Neal attended their grandchildren's plays, sporting events, concerts, and other important milestones whenever possible. Being part of their lives meant so much to her.

Mary also had a special place in her heart for animals. Pets were always considered part of the family, and she taught her children the importance of caring for them. She even made sure the desert iguanas had something to eat by leaving lettuce on the back patio. During the last eight years of her life, her cat, affectionately called "Kitty," was a constant companion and source of comfort, especially as Mary faced Alzheimer's disease.

Mary leaves behind a lifetime of memories, traditions, and lessons that will continue through her family. She showed those around her the importance of kindness, faith, hard work, and never giving up. She knew how to make people feel appreciated and how to find something to laugh about, even when life wasn't easy.

Mary often spoke of how much she missed her mother and brother. Her family finds comfort in imagining the heavenly reunion they are sharing now.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, George Blake Jr. and Freda Elizabeth Knudson Blake; her younger brother, William "Bill" Blake; her father-in-law, Kirk Martin Lundwall; her mother-in-law, Lillian Gertrude Davis Lundwall; and her sister-in-law, Cherilyn Lundwall.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Neal; her older sister, Carolyn Richmond; her children, Carol Lundwall, Allison Weber (Brian), Rebecca Leland (Edwin), Steven Lundwall (Jaime), Emily Christensen (Russ), and Michael Lundwall (Ashli); and 15 grandchildren. She is also survived by many extended family members and dear friends.

We are forever grateful for the blessing of having Mary as our mom and wife. Her strength, love, laughter, and unwavering belief in us have shaped who we are, and we will carry her example and love with us always.

Funeral services will be held Friday, October 30, 2026, at 11 am at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 S. Highland Drive, Millcreek, UT.

A Morning Viewing will be held Friday, October 30, 2026 from 9:30 am to 10:45 am.

Interment: Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, Evergreen section.

Funeral livestream: https://together.oneroomstreaming.com/ZKB4Y6