John Henry Swisher
February 5, 1927 — May 1, 2013
John Henry Swisher was born on February 5, 1927 to John and Caroline (Karley) Swisher near Merrill, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Merrill. He attended school in Hinton, Iowa through the eleventh grade. He enlisted in the United States Navy in May of 1945 and served during World War II. He received an honorable discharge in July of 1946.
On December 5, 1945, he was united in marriage to Geraldine Morehead in his hometown of Merrill, Iowa. Their union was blessed with two daughters: Judy and Pam.
John worked at Gus Peck Foundry in LeMars, Iowa until moving to Harlan, Iowa in 1956. He worked for Western Engineering in road construction and eventually became Vice President of G. A. Finley Gravel Company. He retired in 1989 and continued to live in Harlan.
John became a resident of Elm Crest Retirement Home in 2011. It was at Elm Crest that he died on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 having attained the age of eighty-six years, two months, and twenty-six days. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters: Evelyn Andersen and Elverna Marienau.
He is survived by his wife of sixty-seven years Geraldine Swisher of Harlan, Iowa; daughters Judy and her husband Bob Hoogensen of Harlan and Pam and her husband Patrick Gallagher of Elk Horn, Iowa; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; brother Bill Swisher and his wife Marge of Westfield, Iowa, sisters: Opal Hanke of Le Mars, Iowa, Versella Grasz of Le Mars, Iowa, and Lucille Carlson of Beresford, South Dakota; his sister-in-law, Juanita and her husband LeRoy Sands of Sioux City, Iowa; other family members and friends.
On December 5, 1945, he was united in marriage to Geraldine Morehead in his hometown of Merrill, Iowa. Their union was blessed with two daughters: Judy and Pam.
John worked at Gus Peck Foundry in LeMars, Iowa until moving to Harlan, Iowa in 1956. He worked for Western Engineering in road construction and eventually became Vice President of G. A. Finley Gravel Company. He retired in 1989 and continued to live in Harlan.
John became a resident of Elm Crest Retirement Home in 2011. It was at Elm Crest that he died on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 having attained the age of eighty-six years, two months, and twenty-six days. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters: Evelyn Andersen and Elverna Marienau.
He is survived by his wife of sixty-seven years Geraldine Swisher of Harlan, Iowa; daughters Judy and her husband Bob Hoogensen of Harlan and Pam and her husband Patrick Gallagher of Elk Horn, Iowa; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; brother Bill Swisher and his wife Marge of Westfield, Iowa, sisters: Opal Hanke of Le Mars, Iowa, Versella Grasz of Le Mars, Iowa, and Lucille Carlson of Beresford, South Dakota; his sister-in-law, Juanita and her husband LeRoy Sands of Sioux City, Iowa; other family members and friends.
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