Charles Swaney
November 5, 2006
Charles Warne "Chuck" Swaney, 83 of Mount Vernon, died Sunday November 5, 2006 at St. Lukes Hospital, Cedar Rapids, from complications of a stroke. A Time to Rejoice will begin at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday at the Morgan Funeral and Cremation Choices, Mount Vernon Chapel, by the Reverend David Mears. The family will greet friends from 2:00 p.m. until service time Wednesday in the chapel. Burial with military rites in Mount Vernon Memorial Cemetery. Arrangements by Morgan Funeral and Cremation Choices, Mount Vernon Chapel. Chuck leaves behind two daughters: Becky (Chris) Corbett of Stanwood and their children: Jeff, Rob, and Brian; Marcia (Dan) Wagner of Allegan, Michigan and their children: DeeDe, Tracy, and Brandy; two sons: Charles "Chip" (Chris) of Belle Plaine and their children: Eric, Jeff, Jennifer and Steve (Leigh) of Las Vegas, Nevada and their children: Anne, Will, and Andrew; two sisters: Virginia Fehrenbacher of Palo Alto, California and Elizabeth (Edgard) Jacot of Downers Grove, Illinois; a brother Edwin S. (Corinne) Swaney of Harlingen, Texas; a sister-in-law Marion Newman of Mechanicsville; and eighteen great grandchildren. Preceding Chuck in death were his parents, his wife Janet, and a brother-in-law Don Fehrenbacher. Chuck was born September 5, 1923 in Chicago, Illinois, one of four children of Reverend Stockton M. and Ruth Logan Swaney. After the start of World War II, Chuck left Cornell College to serve three years with the 5th U.S. Army Infantry and Band serving in Florence, Italy. He returned to Cornell and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1948. He married Janet Mae Newman, his wife of thirty-eight years, June 28, 1947 at Rockford, Illinois. He earned his Master of Arts degree in Education from the University of Iowa and was earning his Doctor of Education from Northern Illinois University at DeKalb, Illinois. He and his family lived in Mount Vernon and Maquoketa before moving to Glen Ellyn, Illinois in 1958. They moved back to Mount Vernon in 1966. In recent years Chuck was living at the Mechanicsville Care and Rehabilitation Center. In 1985 Chuck retired as Principal of Prairie View Elementary of College Community Schools, Cedar Rapids, to become the primary caregiver to his wife Jan, who died from cancer June 11, 1985. He served on the board of Iowa Elementary School Principals. In 1983, Chuck was awarded the Betty Scharff Memorial Award, an award for the best elementary school administrator in the country. Chuck served on the Mount Vernon City Council and was a member of the Mount Vernon Lions Club. He was a member and Past Worshipful Master for Mount Vernon Lodge #112. Hahn-Howard American Legion Post #480 of Mount Vernon, where he was a member, will honor him with military graveside services. In Chuck's honor, memorials may be made to the Lisbon-Mount Vernon Ambulance Fund, P.O. Box 125, Mount Vernon, Iowa, 523l4. On-line condolences: www.morganfuneralchoices.com
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To the family of Chuck Swaney: I knew your parents from teaching with Jan at Squaw Creek Kindergarten and subbing for her at Monroe. She had our son in kindergarten. She was wonderful as was your father. Chuck was always supportive of education and of his students in his school. He was an easy person to talk to and he and Jan entertained in their Mt Vernon home on many occasions. Chuck and Jan talked about their family and you were well loved. I have not seen Chuck in recent years but was extremely sorry to hear of his passing. My condolences to all of the Swaney family. Linda Martin
Dear Swaney family, What a wonderful father you had!! I will always remember him coming into the grocery store and he would always call me Mrs. Baker. The young people I worked with were always so surprised when he did this and asked me why he did that. He was taught respect and kindness. I remember the last time I visited him at the care center, he still called me that. I have a lot of fond memories of him at the elementary school and different organizations we worked on. You are so lucky to have had this man in your lives, just to bad that last few years had to be so hard for everyone… Hold those fond memories close, they will help you get thru the hard part of his passing. May God grant you all the strength to handle all of the days ahead. With my most sincere sympathy, Annamae Baker
Our deepest sympathy to Chucks family . I worked with Chuck at Prairie Schools , he was quite a guy .
Dear Swaney family, What a wonderful father you had!! I will always remember him coming into the grocery storeand he would always call me Mrs. Baker. The young people I worked with were always so surprised when he did this and asked me why he did that. He was taught respect and kindness. I remember the last time I visited him at the care center, he still called me that. I have a lot of fond memories of him at the elementary school and different organizations we worked on. You are so lucky to have had this man in your lives, just to bad that last few years had to be so hard for everyone… Hold those fond memories close, they will help you get thru the hard part of his passing. May God grant you all the strength to handle all of the days ahead. With my most sincere sympathy, Annamae Baker
To the family of Chuck Swaney, My condolences on the death of your father and grandfather. Because of our professional working relationship, I find it hard to call him anything other than Mr. Swaney! He recognized my name as a volunteer while in college and gave me the opportunity to begin my teaching career at Prairie View. For that I am ever grateful. He truly cared about kids and their education and worked hard to provide the best possible learning environment for them. I have many fond memories of our years together at school. I wish I could be there to share in the celebration of his life but distance does not allow that so I will be with you in spirit. Darlene Boggs
I don’t remember a lot about my elementary school years, but I do have fond memories of Mr. Swaney at Mt. Vernon elementary. He was such a warm person and the kids all loved him. I can still to this day hear his very soothing voice. It wasn’t very long ago that I had asked about him. My condolences go out to the family. Donna Becicka Nichols
When Briggs Elem opened in 1955, I was in the first kindergarten class. How lucky I was to have Mr Swaney as a friend and principal. His warm engaging smile and firm yet loving concern for the students is truly his legacy. Through the years my husband and I spoke fondly of him as he affected both our lives. I was clumsy and couldnt play tetherball well and was so sad. He would play tetherball with me and use his head instead of hands so I could win. He seemed to know the right thing to say and do to support and nurture children. My husband talks about getting a swat on his bottom from Mr Swaney and said “I deserved it and learned from it” We are so grateful to have had such a wonderful educator during our formative years. Thanks for sharing your wonderful dad during his time in Maquoketa. My parents Bob and Mary Devine send their sympthies as well.
To Mr. Swaney’s family:I knew your Dad through working with him at Prairie View. He really cared about the children and the people that worked for him. I remember very well when he had to lay some of us off. He hated doing it and felt worse than we did. My thoughts and prayers are with the Swaney family. Mary Pavlicek
I am very sorry for your loss, and also sorry that I had not seen the following before our Fathers both passed away. I only recently began going through my own father’s papers (Dominick Aeillo). I discovered a 1944 French 5 Franc note that had the following handwritten in ink across its back: “PFC Charles Swaney SGT Dominick J. Aeillo we had drink on Reynolds Jan. 10, 1945.” I wish I knew the story behind the bill and its inscription. Peace to all… Tom Aeillo