Hittie Mae (Evans) Swagel (2017)
BACHELLER, EVANS, MOWER, OGLESBY, SWAGEL, WALLACE, WENDLER
Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:02:53
Hennessey Funeral Homes
Spokane, Washington
Saturday, July 22, 2017HITTIE MAE "MAE" SWAGEL, Spokane, WA
Of Spokane passed away on Friday, July 21, 2017 at Manor Care Nursing Home.
Mae was born on July 29, 1931 in Winterset, Iowa to Henry Levi and Hilda Gladys (Oglesby) Evans. She graduated from Macksburg Consolidated High School in Macksburg, Iowa. After graduation, Mae moved to Des Moines, Iowa where she worked for an insurance company and the YWCA as an activities director.
In 1953, Mae met George the day he delivered eggs to his cousin's house, and they began dating. George was in the Air Force and was stationed at Goose Bay Labrador. During that time Mae took it upon herself to begin planning their wedding. Neither of them had asked the other if they wanted to get married, and to this day the question "Will you marry me?" has never been asked. They were married in the Des Moines Cathedral on June 18, 1955.
After they were married, George was stationed in Everett where they lived for two years and thereafter followed a life of moves; Tacoma, WA, Marysville, CA, Fort Bragg, NC, Omaha, NE, Sumter, SC, then to Fairchild Air Force Base in 1970. George retired from the Air Force in 1972. In 1983, Mae opened and ran a bed and breakfast in Spokane called "Mae's West". In 1989, George took a job in photography and they continued to travel across the country. Mae sold the portraits of the people George was photographing. In 2006, Mae went to the Art Academy in Kewaunee, Wisconsin. After her formal training, her artistry took off. She enjoyed painting in oils and water color as well as charcoal and pencil sketching. They returned back to Spokane in 2013.
Mae was a devoted wife and mother. She took great pride in "holding things together" when George was stationed away. She was a gourmet cook, gardener, and an avid reader, especially western novels by Zane Grey. As the family grew, Mae began sewing and making some of the children's clothes. Mae was baptized into the Catholic Church in 1955 and was a dedicated church member. She and George were parishioners of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Spokane. She will be remembered as a dedicated and loving wife, mother and artist.
Mae was preceded in death by her parents and her son Nate. She is survived by her husband George of 62 years of Spokane, her three daughters; Kathy Swagel of Spokane, Geri (Steve) Bacheller of Otis Orchards and Joan (Glen) Wallace of Portland, Oregon. She is also survived by her three sisters; Rosalie Mower, Valda Evans and Donna (Al) Wendler, as well as eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A final visitation will be held at Hennessey Funeral Home on Division on Sunday, August 6, beginning at 1:00 p.m. and ending with praying the Rosary at 6:30 p.m. Mass will be celebrated for Mae at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, 3624 W. Indian Trail Road, Spokane, WA 99208, Monday, August 7 at 10:00 a.m. followed by a reception and the Interment will take place at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake at 2:15 p.m. To leave a note for the family and watch her tribute, please go to hennesseyfuneralhomes.com". In lieu of flowers, please make your donations to the Assumption Parish.
Gravesite
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