Mary Anne Seybold

It is my sad duty to inform you that Mary Anne Seybold departed this plane of existence for a more peaceful shore at   approximately 10:00 am on Saturday, November 18, 2023.

Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the passing of this beautiful soul from our lives. On Thursday, November 9, 2023, I arrived at Saint Tammany Parish Hospital where her doctor told me, “Your sister is a very sick woman”, I responded as she would have
wanted “Doctor, you have no idea”. Little did I know that just over a week later she would have the last laugh, signing off quite irreverently on a life very well lived and with few regrets.

Mary entered this world in Terre Haute, Indiana on August 22, of a very nice year that will remain unmentioned. Mary is the youngest child of Richard Guy Seybold & Virginia Lee Small. Richard and Virginia decided it best to have their three
children over time. Richard Guy (Dick) Seybold, Jr, their first born, arrived nine years before Virginia Gayle Seybold who then arrived nine years before Mary. Virginia laughed as she told me how she pushed Mary around in an old English style pram stroller as she played with her own friends in Terre Haute as a child. According to Virginia, Mary sometimes mistook her sister for their mother in her early childhood memories.

Mary had an eclectic career after obtaining a small business degree at Indiana State University. She worked for hospitals, schools, book stores, and therapeutic horse riding facilities, finally finding her true calling as a drug dealer, slinging caffeine for Starbucks Coffee Company. Mary was the #1 caffeine pusher in St. Tammany Parish Louisiana, known for her smile, her awesome attitude and
tempting her customers (friends as she considered them) with an extra shot of espresso every morning, because they were worth it. In a Google review some time ago a customer noted, “When approaching the Northpark Starbucks, check the parking lot for a blue Honda Fit, if it’s rush hour and Mary is not working, keep driving”.

Mary chose not to marry, noting that she had too much love to give for one person to receive and she wanted more love than one person could give. To her credit she gave more love than any five people could give and received more than any 10 in return. She touched lives minute by minute and counted success in the smiles she saw.

Mary was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. A lifelong Christian (Disciples of Christ) Mary took her faith with a serious dose of realism and was quick to call out people who considered everything the will of G-d. She was a world traveler, community activist & lifelong volunteer for causes she believed in.

Traveling with friends to Thailand she wanted to go off the beaten path to non-tourist areas. She asked a friend at the American Embassy for help and the friend informed her that her husband would be happy to show her around. It was years later when Mary found out her escort in those days was the CIA station chief.

Mary spent most of her life in and around Terre Haute, Indiana and moved with her brothers of choice, Jody and Roland and her goddaughter Kate “Cass” to Southeastern Louisiana as an adult. At this point this pint sized, fun, vivacious, liberal midwestern woman found herself frustrated by the conservative culture of the South. She carefully sought out fellow liberals and centrist where she could laugh with like minds at the powers that be. One of the high points of her time in the South was becoming an honorary ‘hood rat’ at the LRE Social Club, an uber secret organization devoted to not taking yourself too seriously and living life to
its fullest or at least laughing about it till you peed.

Mary was a lover of love, reading, writing, drinking, cooking, horseback riding, and a teller of great stories. Mary was proceeded in death by her parents, survived by both siblings, her goddaughter Kate “Cass” Grieb, Kate’s parents, whom she loved almost as much as Kate, her beloved Starbucks partners and friends too numerous to count.

There will be a very Southern totally non-denominational celebration of life at a secret place (probably Abita Brewery) and a secret time (after the Holiday Season because she’s not sharing her spotlight with anyone) followed by a proper Christian Service in Terre Haute, Indiana sometime after the snow melts and the flowers start to bloom.

In lieu of flowers, random acts of kindness, awkward but necessary humor, disrespect for the man, laughing at yourself, cooking with ghee instead of olive oil, warm hugs, extra shots of espresso and spontaneous shoulder massages would be appreciated.

Epitaph
by Merrit Malloy
When I die give what’s left of me away to children and old men that wait to die. And if you need to cry, cry for your brother walking the street beside you. And when you need me, put your arms around anyone and give them what you need to give to me.
I want to leave you something, Something better than words or sounds.

Look for me in the people I’ve known or loved, and if you cannot give me away, at least let me live on in your eyes and not in your mind. You can love me most by letting hands touch hands, by letting bodies touch bodies, and by letting go of children that need to be free. Love doesn’t die, People do. So, when all that’s left of me is love, Give me away. I’ll see you at home in the earth.