Mickey Sundgren Lothrop

Mickey Sundgren Lothrop, 94, of Beaumont, died Wednesday, March 6, 2024. She was born on January 17, 1930 in Beaumont to Helen Mazie Arceneaux and Clarence Cleveland.

Mickey grew up in Beaumont and graduated from South Park High School in 1948. She attended Lamar University, earning a degree in Special Education and spent several years teaching at Hardin-Jefferson School District. She would go on to work as a dispatcher for Coca Cola and retire from there.

Mickey’s parents loved the beach and the family spent many happy hours there. Her father built a small beach house known as The Red Snapper. Mickey’s sister Maureen remembered the Red Snapper was lost to a hurricane. Her father built a  larger one and the family continued for many more years enjoying that location.  Mickey would give her sons the same love of sand and sea that her parents shared with her.

Mickey married Carroll Robert Sundgren on September 12, 1953 and together they raised Steve, Dale, Carl and Gary. Being the mother of four rambunctious boys was a source of great pride and satisfaction for Mickey, but also may have been a little overwhelming at times.

Her sister Marcy said with a smile, “When the boys were little and in school, Mickey would come down to Mama and Daddy’s house on Alabama Street. She would enjoy a sleeve of soda crackers with butter and  drink coffee while she visited. I think that was her relaxation time.”

Mickey loved her four boys with all her heart and supported them in all they did. Gary recalls through the years that Mickey came to almost all  their ballgames. As the boys got older, Gary said their house on Adams Street was THE house – that place where all the brothers’ friends would come to hang out. He remembers, too, the cars he and his brothers drove. “Mom knew who was coming up the street by the sound of our cars.”

All four of Mickey’s sons would go on to graduate from South Park High just like their mother.

Following the death of her father, Clarence, in 1970, Mickey remained incredibly close to her mother and sisters. They loved and supported each other through all the ups and downs of life and they loved to spend time together. Annual road trips became a favorite tradition. Marcy recalled a trip to North Carolina where Mickey, her mother and sisters  boarded the Smokey Mountain Mystery Train. Passengers were treated to a delicious meal and a mystery to solve while they dined. Calling themselves the “Ruby M’s” they combined their sleuthing skills and had an unforgettable experience. Maureen recalled that it was Grandma Mazie who solved the mystery.

Another trip saw them on board the Delta Queen river boat traveling up the Ohio River, visiting many wonderful places along the way. After Grandma Mazie passed in 2001, Mickey, Maureen and Marcy went on to enjoy many more adventures on the road together.

Another favorite activity for Mickey and her family was playing card games. Her mother passed on her enjoyment of the games to her daughters and Mickey shared it with her boys. They all have many joyful recollections of time spent playing penny-ante poker and gin, to name a few.

Mickey’s life took a wonderful turn when she met Barney Lothrop. They married on January 13, 1989 and were together until Barney’s death in 2006. He became a dear member of Mickey’s family. One of the things Mickey’s sons loved most about Barney was how happy he made their mother.

Mickey loved to read and she was a prolific writer. Her family recalled that she wrote many short stories and longer manuscripts. Mickey especially loved studying the Revolutionary War and Civil War periods. She read Gone with the Wind thirteen times, according to Marcy.

Mickey fulfilled a life-long dream with the publication of her historical fiction novel Sons of Valor. She followed that one with a sequel, Sons of Valor: The War of 1812. Writing and publishing these books were two of Mickey’s proudest personal accomplishments.

Mickey attended  Wesley Methodist Church for many years. She was active in different church activities and especially enjoyed weekly Skip Bo games with the ladies’ group she was part of. Mickey’s faith in God remained steadfast even when she could no longer attend church services.

Mickey’s sons blessed her with grandchildren who in turn, blessed her with great-grandchildren. She loved being a grandmother and great grandmother and was beyond proud of them and their accomplishments.

Mickey Sundgren-Lothrop leaves her family and friends with a sweet legacy of love, kindness and humor that will resonate in their lives forever.

Survivors include her children, Steve Sundgren and his wife, Debbie, of Kingwood; Carl Sundgren and his wife, Debbie, of China; and Gary Sundgren and his wife, Stacy, of Liberty; sisters, Marcy Sarver of Georgetown and Maureen Maxwell of Fredericksburg, Virginia; twelve grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren; close friends, Billy and Debbie Jones of Fannett.

Mickey is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Barney Lothrop; and son, Dale Sundgren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Parkinson’s Foundation, 200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, Florida 33131, or Alzheimer’s Association, Home Office, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, Illinois 60601.

A gathering of Mrs. Lothrop’s family and friends will begin 10:00 a.m. with her funeral service to follow at 11:00 a.m., Monday, March 11, 2024, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. Her cremation arrangements were handled through Broussard’s Crematorium.