John H. Swope (Jack) age 76, lost his battle with cancer at Asprirus Wausau Hospital on Aug. 25, 2014, with his family by his side.
Born June 28, 1938, to the late John W. and Helen (Uttech) Swope, Jack is survived by his wife, Kathleen A (Hull); three sons, John (Cindy), Merrill, Kip (Mary), Wausau, and Jay (Christopher Smith), Fort Collins, CO; four grandchildren, Marissa Swope, Milwaukee, Lindsay Swope (Daniel Kalupa), Oshkosh, Michael Swope, Wausau, and Alex Swope, Wausau; one sister, Judith Wissen, Phoenix, AZ; and one brother, James Swope (Denise), Palm Bay, FL; along with many other close family and friends.
Jack graduated from Merrill High School (’57) and was an active member on his class reunion committee up until his 55th reunion in 2012. He served his country in the US Navy from ’57 –’61 on the U.S.S. Hugh Purvis where he traveled to Washington DC for a recent reunion. He returned home on leave to marry his beloved wife, Kathleen A. Hull on May 21, 1960. They celebrated 50 years in 2010.
In his early years, Jack found himself employed at Drew’s Grocery Store, Wausau Papers and Lincoln Hills School for 28 years where he retired in 1998. He also assisted game warden, Don Manthei, as a seasonal game warden for 20 years during WI’s active deer season and made lifelong friends with the Kalafice family while helping out on occasion at Merrill House of Music. After retirement, he drove cars for O’Malley Honda and transported prisoners for the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Dept. He passed his time by spending countless hours at the T.B. Scott Library tracing his family genealogy and researching and writing about the history of the Merrill Cosmo and Lincoln County Fair. Jack was always at the fairgrounds days before and after the fair. He would watch everything go up as well as come down as Merrill got ready for a week of rides, games, beer stands, livestock, and demolition derbies. He served as vice president of the Merrill High School Band Boosters and served time on the Merrill Park and Rec Board.
His close friends will remember Thursday night “Choir Boys” practice at Club Modern along with morning coffee clutches at Pine Ridge, 51 Truck Stop and Skippers where all the local scuttlebutt would happen before the days of Facebook. Nashville, TN and Branson, MO were his second homes. A lover of country music and the Grand Ole Opry, he loved pulling out his guitar and strumming to a good George Jones tune. In his later years he enjoyed time in the woods and fishing on his one-man boat. Jack could never sit still and had the opportunity to visit every state except for Hawaii with his riding companion, Katey. If he wasn’t traveling the country you might find him taking in a movie at the Cosmo, a fish fry at Eagles or just hanging out on his swing, watching the world go by.
Jack loved and adored his grandchildren and made every effort not to miss one of his grandkids events: always supporting and cheering them on. A Merrill native who was a Blue Jay, Badger, Packer and Brewer backer, getting to games when he could.
A service to celebrate the life of Jack Swope was held Thursday, Aug. 27, at St Stephen’s United Church of Christ, Merrill. The Taylor-Stine Funeral Home, Merrill, is assisting the family with arrangements.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Lincoln County Historical Society, TB Scott Library or The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Wisconsin Chapter.
For online condolences please visit www.taylorstinefuneralhome.com. Stories and memories happily accepted.The family would like to extend a huge thank you to the Aspirus ER and Cancer Center (Dr. Peterson) and the staff.