MISSOURI: Montgomery Archives

Willard Mancil “Shorty” Swaim, 84, of Martinsburg, passed away at 9:01 P.M., Monday, July 30, 2012 at Golden Living Center/Gamma Road Lodge in Wellsville.

Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 P.M., Thursday, August 2nd at the Myers Funeral Home in Wellsville.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M., Friday, August 3rd at the Martinsburg Community Church.  Rev. John Blass will officiate.  Serving as organist will be Lisa Brandt.  Soloist will be Beth Swaim.

Burial will be in Swaim Cemetery, west of Martinsburg.  Serving as pallbearers will be his grandsons, Jamie Swaim, Danny Swaim, Tim Swaim, Andy Swaim, Brent Swaim and Josh Swaim.  Honorary pallbearers will be his granddaughters, Lynn Rudicil and Valerie Finton.  Full Military Honors will be provided by American Legion Post 552 and Missouri Military Funeral Honors Detail Team.

Mr. Swaim was born February 21, 1928, in Afton, Iowa, a son of Paul Lloyd and Lola Geneva Metts Swaim.

He was a 1946 graduate of Martinsburg High School.

Shorty served his country in the United States Navy, entering in 1946 and being honorably discharged in 1949.  He reenlisted in 1953 and served until being honorably discharged in 1957.  Shorty was the recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, World War II Victory Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.

On August 25, 1951, in Martinsburg, Missouri, he married Donna Irene Pearl, celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary last year.  They have lived at their present address the past 4 years and in rural Martinsburg since 1984.

He was a member of Martinsburg Community Church and the American Legion Post 552.

Shorty had owned and operated Shorty’s Auto Sales in Martinsburg.  Through the years, he sold cars at various dealerships in the surrounding area.  Shorty had also worked at the soybean mill in Mexico for several years.

One of his favorite things to do was to spend time with all of his family at Swaim Park where they enjoyed cookouts, fishing, deer hunting and playing cards, especially poker.  Many people didn’t know it but Shorty was a poet and had written numerous poems throughout the years.

Shorty is survived by his devoted wife of over 60 years, Donna Swaim, of the home in Martinsburg; children and their spouses, Donald Lloyd “Don” and Susan Swaim, William Joseph “Joe” and Barb Swaim, Linda Louise Sheehan and Willard Mancil “Bill” Jr. and Karen Swaim, all of Martinsburg; grandchildren, Jamie and Brenda Swaim and Danny and Beth Swaim, all of Martinsburg, Tim and Sara Swaim, of Austin, Texas, Andy and Kristy Swaim, of Laddonia, Brent Swaim and Becky Wentz, of Fulton, Josh and Katie Swaim, of Martinsburg, Lynn and Shaden Rudicil, of Quincy, Illinois and Valerie and Brian Finton, stationed in San Diego, California; step-grandchildren, Scott and Lori Dorner, of Davison, Michigan, Aaron Dorner and Dedra Clemens , of Mexico and Matt and Jamie Dorner, of Fulton; great-grandchildren, Travis and Braedon Swaim, of Martinsburg, Austin and Jillian Swaim, of Austin, Texas, Elisa, Evan and Eli Swaim, of Martinsburg, Will Swaim, of Laddonia, Haydon Swaim, of Martinsburg, Jacoma Rudicil, of Quincy, Illinois and Connor Swaim, of Fulton; fourteen step-great-grandchildren, Corbin, Madison, McKenzie, McKenzie, Dakota, Hunter, Blake, Ryan, Emma, Katalynn, Madelyn, Nicholas, Britiney and Logan; brother, Mevin Charles Swaim and wife, Diana, of Martinsburg and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Bernice Swaim, Bob and Mary Lou Pearl, Pat Stone and Pete and Frankie Stuckenschneider, all of Martinsburg.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers and sister-in-law, Walter Lloyd Swaim and Leo Dean and Marie Swaim and brothers-in-law, Jim Pearl and Charlie Stone.

Memorials are suggested to Swaim Park Trust c/o Myers Funeral Home, 203 East Bates Street, Wellsville, Missouri 63384.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family at www.myersfuneralhome.biz.