Norma Jean Swift (1927-2022)

SWIFT, HELMKE, BRYANT

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 8/26/2022 at 10:45:22

Norma “Peggy” Jean (Bryant) Swift, 94 of Dubuque, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 22nd at Stonehill Health Center. Peggy was born on August 24th, 1927, in Clemons, Iowa, daughter of Raymond and Elisa (Helmke) Bryant. To honor Peggy’s life visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 28, 2022, at Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, where a parish scripture service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, August 29, 2022, at the Cathedral of St. Raphael, 231 Bluff Street, with Rev. Dennis J. Quint officiating. Entombment will be in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery Mausoleum.

She was born into the Congregational Christian faith, but throughout her childhood and young adolescent years, was intrigued by the Catholic teachings so shortly after graduating from Clemons High School in 1945, she started her religious training and converted to the Roman Catholic Church. She was joined in marriage to Gerald Swift on May 1, 1948, at St. Mary’s Church in Marshalltown, Iowa. Together they raised nine children and celebrated 68 years of marriage.

Peggy’s children were her priority, so it was not until her youngest child started grade school that she entered the workforce by accepting a position at Table Mound School. Later she would work at Dubuque Senior High School, resigning from Hempstead High School in 1997. Shortly after resigning from the Dubuque Community Schools, she went to work for the Archdiocese of Dubuque as the Director of Religious Education for St. Raphael Cathedral. She also fulfilled the role of Confirmation Coordinator at St. Francis / Sts. Peter & Paul in Sherrill, Iowa. She retired as the Director of Religious Education from Holy Ghost parish in Dubuque, Iowa in May of 2007.

While raising her children, Peggy was very involved in the community and volunteered much of her time with her children’s school and extracurricular activities; she was a member of Table Mound School PTA, a Den Mother for Boy Scout Troop 69, taught religious education at Cathedral of St. Raphael and traveled with the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps for many years. In 2019, she was selected to be a member of the Colts Hall of Fame in honor of her years of service and dedication to the organization.

Along with her late husband Jerry, she was a member of Christian Family Movement (CFM). Despite already having a house full of children, they generously opened their home to foster children and were also involved with the Dubuque Operation Friendship organization which unified various ethnic backgrounds in the Dubuque Community. To supplement her role as a Director of Religious Education, Peggy furthered her education by attending Loras College and completed courses in theology and scripture studies. Peggy was also a volunteer for the Dubuque Serra Club, an organization that promotes vocations within the Catholic Church.

Surviving are her children; John Swift (Janine) of Davenport, IA, Thomas Swift (Carol Copeland) of Dubuque, IA, Patrick Swift (Sandra) of Leavenworth, KS, Charles Swift (Debra) of Dubuque, IA, Mary Powers (Jay) of East Dubuque, IL, Sara Morrison (Dennis) of Farley, IA, and David Swift (Pam Jentz) of Dubuque, IA; a daughter-in-law Kim Swift, Sierra Vista, AZ; fourteen grandchildren, Charles Swift, Thomas Swift, Steven (Susan) Swift, Jamison (Stephanie) Swift, Michelle (fiancé Rafael “Ralph” Ramirez) Swift, Melissa (Jon) Lyon, Emily Powers, Jacob Powers, Christopher Kramer, Jessica Kramer, Janelle (Wyatt) Ungs, Maria Morrison (Grant Kramer), Nolan Morrison, and Andrew Swift; 9 great grandchildren and many step-grandchildren; and two nieces C. Jeanne Peters and Catherine Callies.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Richard Bryant; her father-in-law, Claude Swift; her mother-in-law, Elizabeth (Hora) Swift; a sister-in-law, Evelyn Pike; a brother-in-law, Rev. Robert Swift; a son Michael Swift (Kim); a daughter, Angela Kramer; a son-in-law, Steven Kramer; and her husband, Gerald on August 31, 2016.

A heart-felt thank you to Andrea Ramirez of Stonehill Health Center for her care and compassion of Peggy and to Hospice of Dubuque.

The family will thankfully receive your support through greeting cards and memorials in Peggy’s memory which may be mailed to Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Attn. Peggy Swift Family.