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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
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Monday, October 6, 2025
Mary Claypool
Mary Claypool
Cedar Rapids
Mary Claypool, 66, of Cedar Rapids, died Thursday, September 25, 2025 of a sudden illness. If you know Mary, join us in our celebration of her life on Saturday, November 1 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at Trinity St. James Church in Cedar Rapids.
Mary Ann Johnson was born on November 6, 1958 in Cedar Rapids to Richard and Betty (Lemmer) Johnson. She was a graduate of Kennedy High School in 1977. On July 23, 1977 Mary wed Tony Claypool and on February 15, 1979 she gave birth to their son, Matthew.
She is passionate about the well-being of children and worked to give her son and, subsequently, her grandsons the educational foundation to carry them through life. Mary was a swim instructor/ lifeguard at the Cedar Rapids YMCA for 25+ years and, for a time, was a day camp counselor and preschool cook at St. Paul's Methodist Church. She is a fierce Hawkeye fan, a great cook and loves to tend her garden, but gets the most pleasure watching her kids do whatever they participate in.
Mary is survived by her husband, Tony, her kids, Matthew and Nicole, her grandsons, Brody and Hayden, her sister, LuAnn Wherry (Don Taylor), her mother, Betty, a sister-in-law, 2 brothers-in-law, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother, Richard Jr., her brother-in-law, Alan Claypool and his parents, and her father.