Eddy Mae Szymanski

Eddy Mae “Beeks” Szymanski, 77, passed away at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Billings, Montana on June 10, 2025

Eddy Mae was born in Poplar, Montana, on October 2, 1947, to Edwin Brown and Mattie Agnes “Peggy” Yellow Robe-Brown. She attended and graduated from Wolf Point High School in 1967. Eddy Mae met the love of her life, John A. Szymanski, whom she married on August 26, 1968. They were married for 56 years. In this union they had three children together, Kimberly Ann, John Thomas and Melissa Jean. She always wanted a big family, and that wish came to light when she welcomed her 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren with 2 more on the way.

Eddy Mae enjoyed helping people and that was notable from her choice as a Certified Nurses Aide. In her early years of marriage, while her husband served in the Navy, she worked as a CNA in Georgia, Virginia, and Maryland before returning to Wolf Point and continuing that career path at the Faith Home, Poplar and Wolf Point hospitals. Her love for helping people continued when she started working for the Fort Peck Tribal Youth Detention Center. This love for people led her to cashier positions at IGA, Buttrey Food, Albertsons and Walley’s Grocery.

Eddy loved to get together with family for any occasion with her favorite foods being fried chicken and hamburgers. She loved music, her children recalled her playing music and dancing while she was straightening up around the house, although she never needed a reason to listen to music other than she enjoyed it. Eddy also loved the outdoors as she was an excellent marksman and hunter. She enjoyed boating, camping, fishing and traveling throughout her young adult years. As time went by, she enjoyed crocheting, pow-wows and her grandchildren’s school events.

Eddy Mae is survived by her husband John; children Kimberly Henry, John Thomas (Twila) Szymanski, Melissa (Dennie) Reum; grandchildren Daniel, Brittney (George), Martina, Tiffany (Jesse), Barbara (Mike), John James, Drew (Trevor), Caitlyn, Patrick (Ashley), Hunter (Racheal), Kameron, and Emmalynn Marie; great-grandchildren Darrell, Christian, Duncan, Paisleigh, Brody, Adaline, Mavis, Conner, Keira, Easton and Embry; sibling Judith C (Arnold) Owens and numerous cousins, niece and nephews.

Eddy Mae is preceded in death by her parents Edwin Brown and Peggy Yellow Robe Brown; grandparents Stephen and Alphena Old Rock-Yellow Robe, Augustus C. Brown and Ina Gray-Brown; aunts Pearl Brown-Smith, Doris Brown-Douglas, Wilma Yellow Robe-Williamson; uncles Roy and Clearence Brown, William, Leonard, Alvin, Calvin and Wallace Yellow Robe; sister Peggy Ann Brown-Corne; brother Gary Edwin Brown.