William Clarence Swaby's Obituary
William C. (Bill) Swaby, 78, passed into his heavenly home on May 6, 2023, from complications of lung cancer.
He was born February 11, 1945, in Jacksonville, IL, to C.W. and Nylene Swaby and grew up in Arlington Heights, IL. He graduated from Eastern Washington University and, after college, returned to Illinois to work for a civil engineering company. He met Janet Edwards at a church picnic and, after a brief courtship, they married on December 21, 1974. They were blessed with two children, Laura and Craig. In 1978 they moved to Unionville, IA, to fulfill his dream of farming.
Bill was a kind, gentle man who always put others before himself. He enjoyed the outdoors - especially farming with his son - and loved hunting for arrowheads, archery, his dogs, and, most of all, his family. He was never happier than when surrounded by his kids and grandkids at Sunday dinners after church.
Bill will be missed greatly by his wife of 48 years, Janet; his children Laura (Ben) Cavey of San Diego, CA, and Craig (Tami) Swaby of Unionville, IA; his grandchildren Adalyn, Brynlee, Rylin and Myra Swaby and Owen and Gretchen Cavey; his sister, Mary (Floyd) Henderson of Mission Viejo, CA; his brother, Allan Swaby, of Spokane, WA; lifelong friend Dan Neumann of Cary, IL, and many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Bill's life will be held on Monday, June 19, at 11:30 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Centerville, IA. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Heartland Humane Society in Ottumwa, the source of a number of Bill's beloved dogs, and may be mailed to Thomas Funeral Home, ATTN: Swaby Family, 501 North 18th Street, Centerville, Iowa 52544. Condolences may be shared online at www.thomasfh.com or on our funeral home Facebook page.
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