Charles Loren "Chuck" Swift, 92, passed away peacefully at his home in Nixa, Missouri, on Friday, April 26, 2019.

Born a twin in Lone Jack, Missouri, on March 26, 1927, to Millie Anna (Hoover) and William Lee Swift, he was the sixth of ten children and the last of that family to leave this world. During his childhood he lived with his family on several farms, including those near Pleasant Hill, MO, Coldwater and Mulberry, KS, and Mindenmines, MO. By 1941 Chuck had moved to Red Oak, IA, with his parents and younger siblings where his older brothers were working on nearby farms.

In early 1945, Chuck enlisted in the Navy, taking basic training at the Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois, and stevedore and Marine combat training in Port Hueneme, California.  Shortly after transferring from Logistics Support Company 76 to Combat Utility Battalion 18 in May, he shipped out on the troopship SS Mormacwren for Okinawa. There he engaged in active combat until the island was secured. After the war
he was transferred to the USS Numitor (ARL 17) for occupation duty in Sasebo, Japan, assigned to the motor pool and repairing diesel engines. In early 1946 he left Japan on the Numitor, arriving in Pearl Harbor on March 13. After a bout with appendicitis there, Chuck was transfered to the flagship USS Eldorado (AGC-11). In early May he joined a skeleton crew for the USS Tatum (APD-81) bound for Philadelphia via San Pedro, CA, the Panama Canal, New Orleans. LA, and Charleston, SC. Chuck was discharged as Seaman Fist Class in Minneapolis on 08/12/46.

On leave back home in Red Oak, his twin brother Lowell's wife Norma tried to set up a blind date between him up and a classmate and friend of hers, Jean Marie Schmidt. That didn't work out, but after he was discharged and returned home, a second blind date succeeded. Chuck married Jean, the love of his life, on August 22, 1947, in Glenwood, IA. To this union were born Charles Gary in 1948, Sharan Jean in 1952 and Michael Dean in 1958.

After the war Chuck learned auto body repair at Gray's Body Shop in Red Oak where his twin Lowell ("Skeet") was working. Later the two had a body shop in Elliott, IA. Next Chuck partnered in a body shop with the owner of the Home Implement Co. in Red Oak, then opened his own Chuck's Body Shop in the mid-50s. He customized cars, several of which won auto show awards, rebuilt totals for family cars, and formed a deluxe camper from a wrecked trailer house.

In 1957 Chuck moved the family to a beautiful new home on south hill on the edge of town. In Red Oak Chuck was an active member in the American Legion, the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Volunteer Fire Dept., St. Mary's Catholic church, and the Knights of Columbus. The family enjoyed boating and water skiing, with many fabulous vacations on lakes. In 1968 the family moved to Springfield, MO, partially to be near Table Rock Lake.

In Springfield he worked in several body shops, including Votaw's, Toyota and Reliable Chevrolet, where he was foreman. In the mid-70s he started Swift Appraisal Service, writing auto damage estimates for insurance companies. Chuck enjoyed traveling the back roads in that job, sometimes stopping to fish somewhere on the way home.

In 1986 Chuck and Jean moved to a wonderful acreage south of Nixa, where he loved to work on cars in the combination shop and barn, care for his horse Gypsy, grow a huge garden, and manicure the grounds. After suffering a stroke in 1998, he continued to be active, but after a few years he and Jean moved to a lovely house in Nixa where he spent days.

Since the mid-70s Chuck cherished reuniting with his siblings, their spouses and their offspring in bi-annual family reunions, where they could reminisce about old times, the hardships of growing up in the depression, and the joys of a tight-knit family.

Chuck and Jean were long-time active members of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Springfield and then St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Ozark, MO.

Chuck was preceded in death by his parents and all nine brothers and sisters. He is survived by his wife of over 71 years, Jean, of the home in Nixa, his son Gary of Nixa, his daughter Sharan Hankins and husband Jim of Republic, his son Mike and wife Pam of Springfield, five grandchildren, Amy, Jamie and Tom Hankins, Chris Swift and wife Aimee, and Anna Haddad and husband Tyler, and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be at the Klingner-Cope Family Funeral Home at White Chapel at 1 pm, Friday, May 3, 2019, followed by the funeral service at 2 pm, and burial at White Chapel Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to your charity of choice, or The National World War II Museum in honor of Charles Loren Swift at:
The National World War II Museum
National Processing Center
PO Box 758590
Topeka, KS 66675-8590
For more information see their website at:
www.nationalww2museum.org