Mary Louise Swartz, 101, of Ithaca, NY, formerly of Mifflinburg, PA, entered into rest on Sunday, September 15, 2013 at Cayuga Ridge Health and Residential Community, Ithaca.
She was born on October 9, 1911 in Williamsport, the daughter of the late Bert S. and Annie May (Winter) Bower. On June 9, 1941, she married Kenneth Waden Swartz, who passed away on October 12, 1998.
Mary was a graduate of Williamsport High School, class of 1930, and of Lock Haven State Teachers College in 1932.
Mary delivered milk for her family's dairy farm just north of Williamsport and then taught in one-room schools in Lycoming County, PA, for 8 years, including the Cleese School, until her marriage to Kenneth. Later she taught in a one-room school near Oxford, and then elementary grades in the Oxford Area Schools, in Oxford, PA, until her retirement in 1968.
After Mary received Jesus Christ as her Savior, she was a member of various local churches, of which the most recent were Calvary Baptist Church in Mifflinburg and Tabernacle Baptist Church in Ithaca.
Mary enjoyed traveling (especially with her late husband Ken in their travel trailer), playing her piano and organ, providing hospitality, cooking, baking, designing houses, knitting, crocheting, writing poems, working on her photo albums, and doing "Word Find" puzzles.
Surviving are one son and daughter-in-law, Wesley E. and Susan M. Swartz of Ithaca, NY; one daughter, Shirley M. Zecher of Lake City, FL; four grandchildren and three spouses, Bryan Zecher (Melissa), Ingrid Geiger (Douglas), Jeffrey Swartz (Katrina), Patti Swartz; five great-grandchildren, Christian and Jacob Zecher, Emma, Sophia, and Maximus Geiger; and several nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Karl and James Bower, four sisters, Lelia Bower, Margaret Ketterer, Sarah Elizabeth Bower, and Pauline Fry.
Family and friends are invited to the viewing from 10 to 11 AM on Friday at the Calvary Baptist Church, 332 East Chestnut St., Mifflinburg, where the funeral will be held at 11 AM, with Pastor Shawn A. McLain, officiating.
Following the service, interment will be in Mazeppa Union Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mary`s memory may be sent to Tabernacle Baptist Church, 1019 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 or Calvary Baptist Church, 332 East Chestnut Street, Mifflinburg, PA 17844.
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She was born on October 9, 1911 in Williamsport, the daughter of the late Bert S. and Annie May (Winter) Bower. On June 9, 1941, she married Kenneth Waden Swartz, who passed away on October 12, 1998.
Mary was a graduate of Williamsport High School, class of 1930, and of Lock Haven State Teachers College in 1932.
Mary delivered milk for her family's dairy farm just north of Williamsport and then taught in one-room schools in Lycoming County, PA, for 8 years, including the Cleese School, until her marriage to Kenneth. Later she taught in a one-room school near Oxford, and then elementary grades in the Oxford Area Schools, in Oxford, PA, until her retirement in 1968.
After Mary received Jesus Christ as her Savior, she was a member of various local churches, of which the most recent were Calvary Baptist Church in Mifflinburg and Tabernacle Baptist Church in Ithaca.
Mary enjoyed traveling (especially with her late husband Ken in their travel trailer), playing her piano and organ, providing hospitality, cooking, baking, designing houses, knitting, crocheting, writing poems, working on her photo albums, and doing "Word Find" puzzles.
Surviving are one son and daughter-in-law, Wesley E. and Susan M. Swartz of Ithaca, NY; one daughter, Shirley M. Zecher of Lake City, FL; four grandchildren and three spouses, Bryan Zecher (Melissa), Ingrid Geiger (Douglas), Jeffrey Swartz (Katrina), Patti Swartz; five great-grandchildren, Christian and Jacob Zecher, Emma, Sophia, and Maximus Geiger; and several nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Karl and James Bower, four sisters, Lelia Bower, Margaret Ketterer, Sarah Elizabeth Bower, and Pauline Fry.
Family and friends are invited to the viewing from 10 to 11 AM on Friday at the Calvary Baptist Church, 332 East Chestnut St., Mifflinburg, where the funeral will be held at 11 AM, with Pastor Shawn A. McLain, officiating.
Following the service, interment will be in Mazeppa Union Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mary`s memory may be sent to Tabernacle Baptist Church, 1019 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 or Calvary Baptist Church, 332 East Chestnut Street, Mifflinburg, PA 17844.