Friday, October 28th, 2022
Carl Swander
Carl Swander, 82, of Rockford, passed away at 9:00 PM on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at Divine Nursing and Rehab at Shane Hill.
He was born on June 01, 1940, in Celina, to the late J. Raymond and Wilma F. (Searight) Swander. On August 23, 1964, he married the former Nila Vining. Together they shared many years of memories.
Carl earned his bachelor's degree from Huntington University and went on to earn his master's degree from University of Saint Francis. Carl began his teaching career in Huntington, IN before moving back to the area. He taught history at Parkway Middle School from 1973 to 1999 when he retired. After retirement, Carl worked as a courier for Community First Bank. In addition to teaching, Carl coached football, beginning with the junior high football team and working his way up to Head Coach of the Parkway Panther's for three years. He also was an assistant track and field coach where he focused on pole vault. Carl also supported the Parkway Athletic Boosters Club, was a longtime member of Rockford United Methodist Church and of the Shanes Lodge #377 F&AM.
Carl was an avid fisherman and looked forward to fishing trips with the guys to Wisconsin and to Rice Lake in Canada. He and Nila enjoyed traveling the country and visited Alaska and the Canadian Rockies. Up until September of 2022, they loved to camp at Cottonwood Campground in Versailles where they had many friends.
Surviving are his wife, Nila of Rockford; daughter, Rochelle (Lowell) Kissinger of Bradford, OH; sisters, Betty Beck of Van Wert; Nancy Bruce of Celina; grandchildren: Amber (Tommy) McDonough of Willshire; Madison (Brandon) Joseph of Berne, IN; Grace Swander of Willshire; Zach, Valerie and Kyle Kissinger of Bradford, OH; great grandchildren: Cooper and Asher McDonough; Parker Joseph; as well as many nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Carl was preceded in death by sons: Darrick "Chip" Swander; Bradley A. Swander; brother, Paul Swander; sister, Dorothy Gardner and an infant brother and sister.
A funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, October 29, 2022, at Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home 111 W. First Street Rockford, OH 45882 with Rev. Chip Steffy, officiating. Interment will follow in Riverside Cemetery.
Family and friends will be received prior to the funeral, from 10:30 AM to 2:00 PM, on Saturday.
For those who wish, memorial contributions in Carl's memory may be sent to Rockford United Methodist Church Building Fund or to the Parkway Athletic Boosters Club.
To share in Carl's online memorial, please visit www.ketchamripley.com.
