Mary Swisher Corbett

Mary Corbett, 57, went home to be with her Lord and friend, Christ Jesus, on December 30, 2014, after a nine-year battle with triple negative breast cancer. Mary fought as a Christ-filled warrior against the cancer that returned four times in the nine years, and she persevered each time with incredible fortitude, courage, and grace. She is an amazing example of God's love for others during her own trials, and she stood steadfast with the Lord, never complaining and always having a smile for everyone. Mary was blessed for the time to see both children graduate from college, marry loving spouses, mature into productive adults, and have four grandchildren, all of whom she adored. Mary is now and has always been as gentle, kind, and gracious a spirit as God ever created. Born January 30, 1957, Mary was a lifelong resident of Indianapolis. She is the daughter of Jean and John B. Swisher, and sister of Ellen Swisher Crabb (David), all of Indianapolis. She was a 1975 graduate of North Central High School and a 1979 graduate of Purdue University where she majored in early childhood education. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. After college, Mary taught preschool and then became a full-time mother. Later, she was a substitute teacher at Cathedral High School where her children attended. Following her first bout with breast cancer, she joined Indy SurviveOars, a dragon boat racing team of breast cancer survivors who compete around the country. Mary was a member of Grace Church of Noblesville, Women for Riley, Tapestry Bible Study, and the Do-Dot Club. She served as a stockholder of her family's business, JBS United, Sheridan, Indiana. Mary's love and devotion to her family and her faithful friendship to her friends were the qualities that made her so very dear to so many people. Mary never met a stranger and enjoyed learning about other people and their life experiences. She was a great storyteller. Mary always filled her home with warm hospitality for any guest or occasion. Mary is survived by her husband of 36 years, John Corbett, Carmel; daughter Jill Biddle (Steve), Carmel; son Tommy Corbett (Betsy), Indianapolis; grandchildren Adelyn, Beckham, Corbett, and soon-to-be Cooper Biddle, and Caroline Corbett; nieces Katherine Crabb Scherer (Alex) and Lillian Crabb. The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at St. Vincent's Hospice for their compassionate care of Mary and to Hospice homecare nurse, Arlene, for her love and support. Mary's visitation will be Friday, January 2, 2014, at Grace Church, 5504 East 146th Street, Noblesville, from 4–7 p.m. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 3, 2014, at Grace Church at 10:30 a.m. with burial at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens, 9700 Allisonville Road, Fishers, immediately following the service. Memorial gifts may be made to the IU Simon Cancer Center 100 Voices of Hope for metastatic breast cancer research. Please make checks payable to the IU Foundation and mail to IUF, P.O. Box 7072, Indianapolis, IN 46207-7072. Indicate "In Memory of Mary S. Corbett" on the memo line. You may also make donations online at cancer.iu.edu/giving.