Mary Ann Syverson
December 22, 1938 — February 24, 2023
Mary Ann Syverson passed away peacefully on Friday evening, February 24th, 2023, at her home in Greenbrier Arkansas, with Wes, the love of her life and husband of over 59 years, by her side. It is with great sorrow and bittersweet gratitude that the Syverson Family announces the graduation into eternity of our wonderful, caring, beautiful, sweet, energetic, and unimaginably generous wife, mother, Nana, sister, and friend, Mary Ann. While somewhat unexpected, God was gracious and she passed very quickly and peacefully, holding hands with Wes, and with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Born in Lake Eunice, Minnesota, on December 22, 1938, to Bennie Broberg and Ebba Johnson Broberg, Mary Ann was the last of 5 children, and was raised on a small farm. In her early years Mary Ann loved going to church and telling others about Jesus, often preaching to the cows when no one else could be found. She spoke often and fondly of playing for hours with her father, who was ill, and passed away when she was 13. She remembered when electricity came to the farm and learning to cook from scratch. These skills would serve her and her family well, years later on the mission field. Mary Ann loved to be where people were, and so the city life called, where Mary Ann received training on new accounting machines, giving her lifelong skills. Minneapolis agreed with Mary Ann where she had a flair for fashion and her own style. While singing in a Television choir at Souls Harbor church, she met the love of her life, Wes. Once married, they moved between Minneapolis, where their daughter Penny was born, and Florida, where their son Weston was born. From there they left Wes’s construction company behind and went to the mission field with Wycliffe Bible Translators. For the first years they served at JAARS in Waxhaw, NC, and then on to Colombia, South America, where their son Benny was born, in Bogota. Out in the Colombian jungle at a missionary base, Mary Ann worked in bookkeeping while Wes built. Mary Ann enjoyed organizing many musical events with all of the missionaries, singing in quartets and directing choir performances for many years. She often spoke of the lifelong friends made and all of the fun times while hosting hundreds of volunteers. After nine years in Colombia, they furloughed for a year in North Dakota, enjoying the cold, and then back down to Peru for two years of rain in the Amazon. In 1982 they arrived with suitcases in Southern California where they bought their first home. Working for Wycliffe Associates (WA) in Orange, CA, Mary Ann managed the Data Processing department while Wes built all over the world. Mary Ann retired from WA after 25 years. Wes left WA in 1989 to start a new company called Tech Serve, continuing their missionary focus. In 1999, they sold their house in CA, loaded up, and headed to Arkansas to start a new chapter in their new home. Working for Tech Serve, Mary Ann managed Data Processing and also Publications, serving for over 20 years. She always wanted to stay busy and useful, present for daily devotions and 10 O’clock coffee without fail.
Her tenacity and drive matched her husband’s passion, and together they spent 59 years serving the Lord in cities and jungles, living in many locations all over the world, and in all kinds of conditions. Her commitment to serving God and her family has been an example to so many. Mary Ann always made time for her children and grandchildren, (Nana) to whom she consistently provided an abundance of love, comfort, joy, and laughter.
Mary Ann is currently enjoying her parents’ company, as well as her two brothers, Kenneth Broberg and Dennis Broberg, and her sister Carol Graham. She remembers everything now, and she can hear clearly, while getting to be face to face with Jesus. She is survived by her older sister, LaVonne Lee.
Mary Ann is awaiting the arrival of the rest of her family, especially her loving husband, Wes Syverson, her daughter, Penny Lea Garcia and husband Louie, her son, Weston Syverson and wife Rachael, and her son, Ben Syverson. Lastly, and most importantly to Nana, her grandchildren: Austin Garcia, Taylor Garcia, Jacob Syverson, Luke Syverson, Justice Ramos, and Psalm Ramos. She is missed by her many nephews and nieces as well as a host of family and friends.
To honor her we will be celebrating her graduation into immortality promised to her by Jesus Himself. This celebration of Mary Ann’s life will be held on March 18th, 2023, at Wilcox Family Funeral Home in Greenbrier, Arkansas at 10 AM.
She would love to be remembered with funny, strange, or silly stories, and any pictures that celebrate what was good and blessed in her life. Feel free to send these to westonsyverson@gmail.com .
Should you feel so inclined and in leu of flowers, you are welcome to make a contribution to Tech Serve International in her memory, where she was an immense source of encouragement, smiles, spunky energy, hospitality, laughter, joy, and love to all people.
Born in Lake Eunice, Minnesota, on December 22, 1938, to Bennie Broberg and Ebba Johnson Broberg, Mary Ann was the last of 5 children, and was raised on a small farm. In her early years Mary Ann loved going to church and telling others about Jesus, often preaching to the cows when no one else could be found. She spoke often and fondly of playing for hours with her father, who was ill, and passed away when she was 13. She remembered when electricity came to the farm and learning to cook from scratch. These skills would serve her and her family well, years later on the mission field. Mary Ann loved to be where people were, and so the city life called, where Mary Ann received training on new accounting machines, giving her lifelong skills. Minneapolis agreed with Mary Ann where she had a flair for fashion and her own style. While singing in a Television choir at Souls Harbor church, she met the love of her life, Wes. Once married, they moved between Minneapolis, where their daughter Penny was born, and Florida, where their son Weston was born. From there they left Wes’s construction company behind and went to the mission field with Wycliffe Bible Translators. For the first years they served at JAARS in Waxhaw, NC, and then on to Colombia, South America, where their son Benny was born, in Bogota. Out in the Colombian jungle at a missionary base, Mary Ann worked in bookkeeping while Wes built. Mary Ann enjoyed organizing many musical events with all of the missionaries, singing in quartets and directing choir performances for many years. She often spoke of the lifelong friends made and all of the fun times while hosting hundreds of volunteers. After nine years in Colombia, they furloughed for a year in North Dakota, enjoying the cold, and then back down to Peru for two years of rain in the Amazon. In 1982 they arrived with suitcases in Southern California where they bought their first home. Working for Wycliffe Associates (WA) in Orange, CA, Mary Ann managed the Data Processing department while Wes built all over the world. Mary Ann retired from WA after 25 years. Wes left WA in 1989 to start a new company called Tech Serve, continuing their missionary focus. In 1999, they sold their house in CA, loaded up, and headed to Arkansas to start a new chapter in their new home. Working for Tech Serve, Mary Ann managed Data Processing and also Publications, serving for over 20 years. She always wanted to stay busy and useful, present for daily devotions and 10 O’clock coffee without fail.
Her tenacity and drive matched her husband’s passion, and together they spent 59 years serving the Lord in cities and jungles, living in many locations all over the world, and in all kinds of conditions. Her commitment to serving God and her family has been an example to so many. Mary Ann always made time for her children and grandchildren, (Nana) to whom she consistently provided an abundance of love, comfort, joy, and laughter.
Mary Ann is currently enjoying her parents’ company, as well as her two brothers, Kenneth Broberg and Dennis Broberg, and her sister Carol Graham. She remembers everything now, and she can hear clearly, while getting to be face to face with Jesus. She is survived by her older sister, LaVonne Lee.
Mary Ann is awaiting the arrival of the rest of her family, especially her loving husband, Wes Syverson, her daughter, Penny Lea Garcia and husband Louie, her son, Weston Syverson and wife Rachael, and her son, Ben Syverson. Lastly, and most importantly to Nana, her grandchildren: Austin Garcia, Taylor Garcia, Jacob Syverson, Luke Syverson, Justice Ramos, and Psalm Ramos. She is missed by her many nephews and nieces as well as a host of family and friends.
To honor her we will be celebrating her graduation into immortality promised to her by Jesus Himself. This celebration of Mary Ann’s life will be held on March 18th, 2023, at Wilcox Family Funeral Home in Greenbrier, Arkansas at 10 AM.
She would love to be remembered with funny, strange, or silly stories, and any pictures that celebrate what was good and blessed in her life. Feel free to send these to westonsyverson@gmail.com .
Should you feel so inclined and in leu of flowers, you are welcome to make a contribution to Tech Serve International in her memory, where she was an immense source of encouragement, smiles, spunky energy, hospitality, laughter, joy, and love to all people.
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