Karen Ann Swinney

Karen Ann Swinney was born in Kansas City April 26, 1940. She was the third oldest of five girls. The family lost the second oldest, Shirley, in a house fire when the girls were very young.
The family moved to La Russell, when she was around 10. She went to Mt. Vernon Elementary where they resided until they moved to Springfield. She attended Jarret Jr. High and Central High School graduating in 1958.
Her mother studied to be a nurse and was employed at The Chest Hospital in Mt. Vernon. Her parents relocated back to the Mt. Vernon area in the early 60’s and both retired from the Chest Hospital, her father a baker in the kitchen and her mother in nursing.
Swinney married Thomas Erwin shortly after high school and they had six children. She also lost six children at birth burying three at Union Grove in Fair Grove. Swinney worked at Ma & Pa’s Cafe in Fair Grove, for her in-laws, Tom and Alice Erwin.
Due to husband Thomas passing, in 1975 she had to teach herself to drive while she was busy raising six children.
Swinney relocated to Ash Grove, when she remarried in 1982, to the love of her life Bobby Gene Swinney. They had a 6-day romantic courtship and headed to Miami, Okla. with each of their youngest in the home at that time.

She and Bobby owned the feed store, Quality Plus Feed in Miller, in the mid-90’s. Karen and Bobby both frequented and worked at Hood’s Truck Stop restaurant doing almost every job they had, also when Bobby was carrying mail with Bois D’Arc PO.

Preceding her in death were her first husband Thomas Erwin Jr; parents Vernon and Irene (Marsee’) Hill; sisters Shirley Hill and Bonnie Hill; infant sons Norman Otto Erwin, Mark Matthew Erwin and Caleb Vernon Erwin; son Thomas Erwin III, and mother and father in-law Albert and Lylith Swinney.

Swinney is survived by husband Bobby Swinney Ash Grove; sons, Robert Erwin of Springfield, Jesse Erwin of Bois D’Arc, Lucian Erwin of Kansas City; daughters Shirley Erwin Zellemeyer, (Gene Zellemeyer), Sarah Erwin Chapman (Jerry Chapman); step-daughter Renee’ Swinney Bruffey (Bobby Bruffey) Ash Grove; step-son Don Swinney, Buffalo; 21 grandchildren; sisters Sandra Hill Wheeler (Larry Wheeler); Jewell Hill White (Steve Pierson ); brother-in-law Cecil Swinney (Darlene).
A celebration of life will be at 1 p.m., Wednesday, March 2, 2022 at Greenlawn Funeral Home South with visitation from 12-1 p.m. Interment will follow in Johns Chapel Cemetery, Ash Grove.