Obit: Swaney, Wilma “Billie Rae” (1933 - 2015)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Swaney, Brown, Mahoney, Glidden, Lewan, Barlow, Foster, Olsen

----Source: Thorp Courier (Thorp, Clark Co., WI) 8/19/2015

Swaney, Wilma Edith “Billie Rae” (19, February 1933 - 10 August 2015)

Wilma Edith “Billie Rae” Swaney, 82, of Gilman, under the care of hope Hospice while residing at Miller Alternative Care, went home to be with the Lord on August 10, 2015. Billie was born on February 19, 1933, in Bruce, Wisconsin, the daughter of the late Basil and Edith (Brown) Mahoney. She attended Bruce High School and at the tender age of 17 married her lifelong soul mate William “Bill” Swaney. They began their married live in St. Paul, Minnesota and in 1951 moved to north of Bruce where they began farming. In 1957 they moved to the Gilman/Hannibal area and continued to farm until 2004 when they moved to Gilman.

Billie was a member of Christ Community Church of Jump River where she spent many years overseeing the Ladies Aide. Besides spending her time milking cows, gardening, and being an active homemaker, she enjoyed quilting, embroidery, reading, and her family time. Billie is remembered for her canned dill pickles, German chocolate cake and her love and faith of her Savior.

Billie is sadly missed by her husband of 65 years, William of Thorp, three children, Pam (Ken) Glidden of Lublin, Lonnie (Peggy) Swaney of DePere and Deb (Tim) Lewan of Thorp, 13 grandchildren: Michael, Alan, Marie, Katie, Christopher, Jacob, Shane, Chad, Stacy, Marissa, Derek, Cassandra and Brandon, 11 great-grandchildren and two sisters, JoAnn Barlow of Ladysmith and Donna Foster of Boise, Idaho.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 15, 2015 at Christ Community Church of Jump River with Pastor Joey Olsen officiating. Burial followed the meal in the Meadowbrook Cemetery-Gilman. Visitation was from 4 until 7 p.m. on Friday at the Gilman Funeral Home and from 9 a.m. until time of service Saturday at the Church.