Helen Phillips Swailes 1921-2006

SEARLE, MCMAHON, PHILLIPS, SWAILES

Posted By: michael (email)
Date: 6/15/2006 at 09:50:20

Helen Phillips Swailes, 84, of 628 Sunset Street died Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at Greenwood Manor following a brief illness.

A Funeral Service to celebrate Helen’s life will be held at 10am, Saturday, June 17, 2006 at Lensing’s Oak Hill Funeral Service, 210 Holiday Road, Coralville. Burial will be at Memory Gardens with a luncheon to follow at the funeral home. Friends may call Friday from 4 to 7pm. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established.

Helen was born October 15, 1921 in Wellman, Iowa, the daughter of Martin and Nellie Searle McMahon. Helen attended country schools in Lone Tree, where on April 10, 1940 she married Charles W. Phillips. He died in 1962. Helen later married Harold Swailes, who died in 1984.

Charles and Helen farmed in Union Township, Johnson County. Helen remained on the farm following Charles death in 1962. In 1972 she moved to Iowa City where she was employed at Pepperidge Farm, and later, the University of Iowa, where she was a housekeeper at Rienow Hall. She retired in 1984.

Helen was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and the Altar and Rosary Society.

She was an avid fan of the Chicago Cubs and the Iowa Hawkeyes, especially the men’s basketball team. Helen enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, especially to Hawaii, Alaska and Las Vegas. A favorite pastime was trips to different casinos, where she loved to socialize and gamble. Helen cherished the time spent with her family and friends, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren who affectionately called her “Granny”.

Special thanks for the love and support the staff at Greenwood Manor extended to both Helen and her family during her final months.

Helen is survived by her son, Charles “Chuck” (Jill) Phillips of Coralville; two grandsons, Bill (Beth) Phillips of Coralville and their sons Nick and Jake and Chris (Angela) Phillips of Iowa City and their children Christopher and Jazmin; her sister, Marjorie Rosenfield of West Liberty; her brother-in-law Charles Skubal of Iowa City; numerous nieces and nephews.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, one brother James and one sister, Maxine Skubal.

Online condolences may be sent to www.lensingfuneral.com