Charles L. "Chuck" Swanger 1929 - 2013

SWANGER, LEE, COPP

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 5/11/2017 at 13:15:12

Chattie Lee of Danbury, Iowa, took care of her sick Grandfather James Lee until his death, and as a gift was given a train trip back to Pennsylvania to visit relatives. While there, she met and married John Swanger.

Charles L. "Chuck" Swanger was born on May 10, 1929, on the family farm in Mifflenburg, Pennsylvania, the son of John L. and Mazie "Chattie" (Lee) Swanger. Because of the busy Pennsylvania Turnpike that had to be crossed, Chuck started Country School at age 6 years, waiting until his little sister, Gertrude "Trudy," turned 5 years old, so that they could both walk to school together.

In November of 1937, his father John died of pneumonia after coming home from a deer hunting trip in the mountains. His mother Chattie then packed up their possessions and moved Chuck and Trudy, back to Danbury, Iowa, where they moved in with their grandparents, Charles and Mary Lee, on their family farm. Chuck attended Danbury Public School. When both Charles and Mary Lee died, the family farm was sold and Chattie, Chuck and Trudy moved into the town of Danbury. Chuck graduated from Danbury Public High School in 1947.

He was very proud of the fact that he played on the Danbury Maroons basketball teams of 1946 and 1947. The Danbury Maroons went to the Iowa State High School State Basketball Championship Tournament both years and came home with a third and fourth place finish. Chuck then attended Wayne State College, Wayne, Nebraska, on a basketball scholarship. He was drafted and served in the Korean War. He was honorably discharged. Chuck returned to Danbury where he worked for the Woodbury County, Iowa, Road Division; and then the (Red) Ortner IH Implement in Mapleton; and drove school bus for the Mapleton Public School. He then worked for the Iowa Dept. of Transportation, State Roads Division for 30 years. During these years, he worked part-time for several farmers at harvest time (the best time of the year according to him) and weekends for Little Joe's TV and Appliances, helping to fix and setup TV antennas and appliances.

He was a member of the American Legion Loren Hollister Post #496 of Mapleton for over 50 years. He served as the Legion's treasurer for over 10 years. He was also a member of the Mapleton Fire Dept. for over 10 years. On December 26, 1954, he married Edna (Copp) Swanger from Glidden, Iowa. She was teaching Home Economics in Mapleton at the time.

Survivors include Edna, his wife of 58 years; his son, John (and Michelle) Swanger and kids, Jessica and Michael, all of Omaha, Nebraska; his daughter, Laura "Laurie" (and Mark) Weber and kids Beth, Paul, and Anne, all of Mapleton, Iowa; his son, Carl Swanger of Danbury, Iowa; and his sister, Trudy Wallis of Hacienda Heights, California.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Chattie Swanger; father- and mother-in-law, Roy V. and Jennie Copp; his brothers-in-law, Bill Wallis, Howard Copp, Allen Copp, and sister-in-law, Mildred Copp.