Dr. Jerry James Swaney passed away on July 1, 2022.
Born April 2, 1940, in Jefferson, Jerry grew up in Grand Junction and was valedictorian of the Grand Junction High School class of 1958. He moved to Iowa City to attend college and medical school. Jerry graduated from medical school in 1964. While at Iowa, he was a houseboy for the Delta Zeta sorority where he met his future wife, Patricia Schmulbach. The two married on June 12, 1965.
Following their marriage ceremony in Cedar Rapids, the couple moved to Albuquerque, NM, where Jerry completed his internship at Bernalillo County Medical Center, a program of the University of New Mexico. Once his internship was completed, Jerry was ordered into the United States Army Medical Corps as one of the last of the draft group. He was allowed to first complete a residency program in pediatrics and oncology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. During that time Patricia taught at the University of Michigan Hospital School and completed her master’s degree in assessment and special education.
On the eve of the final day of his residency, the Army moving truck arrived, packed them up, and took them to their first tour of duty where Captain Jerry began serving in the medical corps at William Beaumont Medical Center in El Paso, TX. It was there that their only child, Aric Swaney, was born on Jan. 1, 1969.
Jerry was eventually promoted to major, and following his service in the Army, Jerry accepted a fellowship in pediatric oncology-hematology at MD Anderson Cancer Institute in Houston. Upon completion of the fellowship, he accepted the position as co-chair of the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Department at Children’s Hospital in Chicago, where he would remain until he returned to Houston for a fellowship in adolescent medicine. He returned to El Paso as a private physician in 1977.
He and Patricia remained in El Paso where Jerry served in the medical community and also contributed to the welfare of children and their families by helping the beginning of the Candlelighters of El Paso and various other support systems for children with cancer. He and Patricia recently moved to Lombard, IL, to be closer to Aric, a Chicago resident.
Jerry loved reading mystery novels, exploring architecture and design, viewing and collecting art by local artists, classical music, and in particular chamber music, Broadway and local theater; poetry (both reading and writing) and, above all, family. He also loved the fact that he had a tremendous head of hair (in a ponytail for many years) even at age 82.
Dr Swaney was extraordinarily passionate about his work, and every child or young person with whom he interacted as a physician became family. He saved hundreds of children’s lives as he dedicated his life to helping others battle cancer. Jerry genuinely loved all those he helped, and even during his final days wept for those lost decades ago, and smiled and laughed for and with those still alive today. He was so proud of them all for being strong and brave.
Jerry loved living in El Paso. He loved the mountains, the weather, the people, the food – the #3 from Leo’s, Casa Jurado, G & R Restaurant, Sorrento’s and Whataburger to name several. Jerry also thoroughly enjoyed watching Patricia perform in productions at the UTEP Dinner Theatre, El Paso Playhouse, S.R.O., the Chamizal, Fort Bliss, and others. He was her most supportive yet harshest critic.
Jerry frequently spoke about a memory – walking to the end of a pier in Naples, FL, and sharing a Reese’s peanut butter cup with his young son.
He was always five steps ahead of everyone else mentally. Four of those were to lead a path for others to follow to safety and happiness. We will miss his joy at simple pleasures like a scoop of ice cream or a letter written. In fact, he would write pages and pages of prose on yellow legal paper and mail them to his son weekly if not daily and include newspaper comics and other clippings (and a $5 bill) inside. He will be missed by all of us, and he will always be remembered as the best example of what a person, a doctor, a husband, and a father can be.
Jerry is preceded in death by his parents, Alvin “Son” and Beulah Swaney, his oldest brother Gary “Mike” Swaney, and his youngest brother, Rickey. In addition to Patricia and Aric Swaney, he is survived by his brother Terry of Spokane, WA; nephew Rick Swaney of Spokane; uncle Keith Ewing of Lubbock, TX; Duane (Ann) Roberts of Irving, TX Drew Roberts of Pensacola, FL, Connor Roberts of Washington, D.C., Robert (Kim) Trujillo of San Antonio, Matthew (Caroline) Goltz of Stockholm, Sweden, and grand-godson John Grant Frampton of Batavia, IL.
A graveside committal will be held Saturday, July 16, at 10 am in Junction Township Cemetery, Grand Junction, through Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home.
Sympathy cards or letters can be mailed to: 4 Elm Creek Drive, APT 314, Elmhurst, IL 60126.
Well before his passing, Jerry suggested that when he moved on, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the UTEP Dinner Theater. Here is the donation site:
