Lyle SWANK, Sr., the second child of Lewis and Lottie TEDROW SWANK, was raised on a farm near Kellerton.

Georgine SLAVIK, the only daughter of Antone and Agnes DOLECHECK SLAVIK, was raised in the Diagonal area.

On February 26, 1940, Lyle and Georgine were married and resided east of Diagonal. Their first child, Lyle Jr., was born on August 17, 1941.

They moved to a farm, north and east of Benton on Highway 66, across from the Marshalltown Cemetery. Other children born to Lyle and Georgine were: Leonard, Elvin, Lila, Rose, and Frances.

The SWANK children attended Benton School until its closing in 1958. All the children graduated from Diagonal High School. Both Rose and Frances were homecoming attendants for their class, and Lila was homecoming queen in 1964. Lila was an outstanding basketball player while in high school. Frances was also noted for her basketball and softball skills. Leonard and Elvin both served in the United States Army.

Lyle's occupations include: working for REA in 1946; running a shop in Benton in 1951 at the site where Junior SWANK now has his car garage; running a shop in Mount Ayr in the 50's; and farming. He also enjoys trapping, a sport that two of his sons, Junior and Leonard, also enjoy.

Besides being a homemaker, Georgine worked for one year as a cook in a restaurant owned by Keith and Alice ROGERS.

On April 23, 1955, the SWANK homestead was hit by a very destructive tornado. The tornado took off the roof of their house, and although they were in the house at the time, the SWANKS were not injured. They lived in the Leonard SCHLAPIA house on Highway #2, east of Benton, while their house was being repaired.

Lyle and Georgine, now retired, are still living on their farm north and east of Benton.

Leonard married Charlotte COMBS of Kellerton on December 11, 1966. They have three children: Tami, Terri, and Travis, and live in Mount Ayr. Leonard is a mechanic for Jim JOBE Chevrolet in Mount Ayr. Charlotte is a homemaker and works part-time for Physician Associates in Mount Ayr. The three SWANK children attend Mount Ayr Community School.

Elvin married Cathy BUCK of Mount Ayr on December 21, 1971. They have two children, Eric and Audrey. Elvin works for _____ Construction and Cathy works part-time as a cook at the Mount Ayr School.

Lila married Danny STEWART on June 14, 1964. Danny is a farmer and they live on Pat CARR'S farm near Maloy. Lila is an Avon representative. They have three sons: Rick, Kevin, and James. Rick graduated from Mount Ayr Community High School in 1985. He is studying Agriculture Technology at Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny. Kevin and James attend Mount Ayr Community School.

Francis married Tim PERRIGO on May 16, 1981. They live in Omaha, Nebraska, and have one child, April. Tim is the manager of OSCO Drug in Omaha and Fran babysits.

NOTE: Louis Elsworth SWANK, son of William Henry Harrison SWANK (1828-1915, Civil War veteran) and Josephine Amanda (PHILLIPS) SWANK (1847-1922), was born on October 13, 1883, and died in 1965. He married in 1908 Lottie TEDROW, daughter of Grant and Alice Lavada (GILMORE) TEDROW, who was born in 1893, and died in 1947. Louis and Lottie, William and Josesphine were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.

Lyle William SWANK, Sr. was born on Feburary 26, 1913, and died on January 7, 1996. Georgine Francis (SLAVIK) SWANK was born on Feburary 3, 1918, and died September 23, 2007. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.

SOURCE: 1887 - Benton, Iowa Centennial - 1987. Pp. 194-95. Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, Mount Ayr IA

Transcriptions and notes by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2012

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