Mary Lee Simpson Swensen

Just three weeks after her 85th birthday, Mary Lee Simpson Swensen passed away at the Capitol Hill Senior Living Center in Salt Lake City on January 5, 2026.

Mary Lee was born December 15, 1940, to Bernard Lee and Bertie Marie (Hiatt) Simpson in Kernersville, North Carolina. The third of seven children, with five of them being girls, Mary Lee enjoyed singing with her older sisters and cousins in local and regional concerts. She was very close with her younger brother, Richard, and spent much of her young childhood getting in and out of trouble with him as they were closest in age.

Mary Lee was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served a

mission in North Carolina and Virginia. It was there that she met a young Elder, William (Bill) Swensen who would extol the virtues of his hometown of St. Anthony, Idaho. He may have exaggerated a little bit. The two were engaged upon his completed mission and they married in the Idaho Falls Temple January 11, 1963. They made their home in Rexburg, Idaho, after Bill completed a Secondary Education Degree at BYU. They had five children: four boys and one girl.

Bill loved the outdoors, and though Mary Lee was one who would rather sit by a pool and read a book, she endured many camps and hikes and even spent a summer working as a cook while he was the Education Counselor at a summer Outdoor Recreation Program out of Idaho Falls. They took all the kids and put them to work that summer!

Bill died in a tragic drowning accident in 1979 and a year later the family moved to Bountiful, Utah. Mary Lee has been in the Salt Lake Valley ever since. She was married to Carlton R. Schultz of Ogden, and then briefly to Douglas Stellmon of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Mary Lee loved music, square dancing, clogging, and moving. Nothing made her happier than moving to a new place.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her siblings Sylvia Jean Chesson, Iris Marie Lott, Richard James Simpson, Kenneth Wayne Simpson, and Bonnie Carol Gwyn Martin. She is now reunited with her family, her eternal companion, Bill, and the other Swensen’s (George, Dena, Lloyd, Wayne and Catherine) who were waiting to greet her with open arms on the other side.

Surviving Mary Lee are her children: Chad Q., Melissa (Joseph Fuller), William Eric (Tina Johnson), Ryan G. (Tesha Ackerman) and Jared Lee (Miranda Biegon). Her grandchildren: Daryl Deanne, William Devan (Traci Lynn Newland), Hayley C. (Cody Peay), William Wyatt (Ashley Black), Ashley Michelle, Macall LeeAnne (Schuyler Arave), Cassidy (Tyler Vasicek), D. Logan, Kyle Meacham, Ashton Mackayla, Vali Eric and Dylan Page. Great-grandchildren: Siera Mashelle Timothy (Ravante Robinson), Avery Desi Newland, Hudson William, Riggs Eric Arave, and Gabriel Hawk Vasicek. One great-great-grandson, Royal Reese Robinson. She is also survived by her sister, Esther Jacqueline Morehead.

Mary Lee had beautiful blue eyes, a thick southern accent and a friendly smile. She made friends wherever she went. She was beloved by all who knew her and will be greatly missed.

Funeral services to be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1540 North 400 East, Bountiful, Utah 84010. There will be a viewing before the service from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the church.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin 10-15 minutes prior to services and will be posted below.

A luncheon will be held following the services at Capitol Hill Senior Living Center, 76 South 500 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84102, 4th floor.

A graveside service will be held at noon on Friday, January 16, 2026, at the Wilford Cemetery, 2531 East 225 North, Saint Anthony, Idaho.