A Celebration of Life Memorial Service for Shirley Swick will be held on March 15, 2024, at 11:00 am at the Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home in Gordon, NE with Pastor Terry Pflugrad officiating. Interment will follow at the Fairview Cemetery in Rushville, NE.
Shirley Swick, 91, of Holdrege formerly of Gordon passed away Friday, March 1, 2024, at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege.
Shirley was born on May 30, 1932, in Gordon, the youngest of three children to Dale and Emily (Coon) Young. She spent her childhood years growing up on the family ranch, homesteaded by her grandparents, Wilber and Alice Young, not far from Shell Lake, northeast of Gordon. As soon as she was old enough, she assumed responsibilities that go with growing up on a ranch, milking cows, tending chickens, and her favorite job of riding her horse to check fences and stock tanks. She spent many hours with her horse roaming the sandhills near the ranch.
Throughout her school years she and her mother stayed in town during the week, in the home that her Grandpa Wilber built. School girls often boarded with them who were from nearby ranches. Shirley received her education from Gordon Public Schools and graduated with the class of 1950. She enjoyed journalism, public speaking, and loved being involved in high school operettas. During high school Shirley met a handsome young man named Gerald Swick, and they married in June 1950. Gerald worked for his father, Leslie Swick & Sons Well Drilling until he was drafted into the U.S. Army. Shirley and Gerald briefly lived in Kentucky while he was training for a future deployment to Korea.
They returned to Gordon in 1954 where their first daughter, Sherrill Lynn was born. Later that year they moved to California. Their second daughter, Teri Lee was born in 1956. Shirley and Gerald moved to Grants Pass, Oregon and welcomed to the family their third child and first son Kenton Leroy in 1965. Gerald had a passion for landscaping and operated his own nursery business.
The family made their home in Kenwood, CA from 1966 through 1971 at which time they came back to Gordon. Shirley spent her time raising her family and making the adjustment from California to Gordon easier for her children. She was involved with the American Legion. Shirley never missed an opportunity to see her son perform with the Stagecoach Band. She baked pies for the Sale Barn and was active in the Gordon Adventist Church. Shirley was a caregiver for several elderly Gordon women and had a true commitment toward helping others.
She was immensely proud of her family and her independence after Gerald passed away in 1984. Her family includes three children. Sherry Bayliss of Holdrege. Teri Forster and husband Smokey DeWeese of Holyoke, CO. Ken Swick and wife Susan (Luebke) of Laramie, WY. Shirley has six grandchildren: Stephanie (Forster) Chaney and her husband Dale of Haxtun, CO; Melanie (Bayliss) Freeman and her husband Dustin of Loomis, NE; Heather Bayliss of Omaha; Kayla (Forster) Hiatt and husband Johnny of Papillion; Brandon Swick of Laramie; and Hannah (Swick) Curran and husband Ben of Thermopolis, WY.
Shirley leaves behind nine great grandchildren: Emily (Chaney) Martinez and husband Antony of Fort Collins, CO; Anna Chaney of Lincoln, NE, Ryan Chaney of Haxtun, CO. Shawna (Freeman) Downey and husband Ashton of WA, Tyson Freeman of Loomis, Braxton Herrley, and Hayes Hiatt, both of Omaha. Also, Jordyn and Caleb Curran of Thermopolis. Shirley has the distinction of leaving behind two great-great grandchildren. Noah and Luca Martinez of Ft. Collins, CO.
Shirley was preceded in death by her husband Gerald, her parents, her brothers Vernon and Virgil Young, and numerous other family members.