Mary Kiesel Obituary

Mary Margaret Kiesel 97, passed away peacefully in her Mount Vernon home on July 25, 2024.

She was born at City General Hospital in Bremerton, WA on March 24, 1927, to John J. and Helen G. Lawless.

Mary Margaret or “Mike” attended Catholic grade school and graduated from Bremerton High School in 1945.

She met her future husband, George, on the church steps and they were later married at Our Lady Star of the Sea, in Bremerton on April 26, 1947.

Catholic Children’s Services, in Seattle, assisted with the adoption of two baby girls. Joanne was adopted in 1954 and Margaret or Maggie Eileen in 1955.

George had a lengthy career as a federal employee in the Office of Personnel Management serving the Navy. He, Mike and their daughters moved to Kodiak Island, Alaska. In 1959, to Northern Virginia for a position at the Pentagon and next to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and lastly to the Naval Weapons Station near Huntington Beach, California, from where he retired in 1973. As fast as they could pack, they returned to the Pacific Northwest and settled on the Kiesel homestead on East Blackburn Road, where she lived until her death.

In her youth, Mike was a Camp Fire Girl. As an adult, she gave many service hours as a Leader of Camp Fire Girls. In Mount Vernon, she was an avid gardener and enjoyed the botanical study of plants on their property. She was an accomplished seamstress, hand-knitter and machine knitter, and assisted with hands-on “Caps for Kids” demos at the Skagit County Fair. She was a well-known instructor with various machine knitting groups in the area.  

Both she and George were active with the National Association of Retired Federal Employees/NARFE. She accompanied George to many Knights of Columbus-related activities wherever they lived.  Together they enjoyed camping and travel, and the company of many friends through church, choir, and community. Mike was a voracious reader throughout her life. Together with her grandchildren, she knitted sweaters and doll clothes, played computer games and enjoyed the science fiction genre.

She is survived by her daughter, Maggie Eileen Wallace (Bob Brumbaugh) of Burlington, WA, grandchildren Eric Lott (Samantha), Peter Lott, Joe Lott (Trang), and son- in-law Merton Lott (Sharlene), Tony Wallace, Stephanie Moore (Matthew) and great-grandchildren, Elle Bisheimer and Arthur Lott.

Mike lived a long, peaceful life at home with the support, loving care and friendship of Becca Johnson and Maria Rivera, caregivers who assisted her for more than 6 years.

She was preceded in death by her three brothers, John Lawless, E. Warren Lawless and Jim Lawless, daughter Joanne Maris Lott, and husband George Walter Kiesel, her spouse of 56 years.

Memorials can be made to the Tri-Parish Food Bank, 935 Peterson Rd. Burlington, WA 98233, or to the NOAH Animal Shelter 31300 Brandstrom Rd. Stanwood, WA. 98292.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, August 16, at 12:15 pm at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 400 N. 15 St. Mount Vernon. A Rosary will be said prior to Mass.  Graveside Service will follow at Hawthorne Memorial Park, 1825 E College Way, Mount Vernon, and a reception to celebrate her life at 1:30 pm in the Hawthorne Reception Hall. All are welcome.