Mary Kathryn Gaines Swiger

Mary Kathryn Gaines Swiger, age 84, of Grants Pass, formerly of Greensburg, Ohio, died Sunday, May 19th 2013 at Three Rivers Medical Center with her family by her side.

A memorial service will be at 5:00 pm., Sunday, May 26, 2013 at New Hope Bible Church with Pastor Lowell Stutzman officiating. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Those wishing may make donations to the New Hope Bible Church 2600 New Hope Road, Grants Pass, OR 97527 or Greensburg Church of God, PO Box 576, Green, Ohio 44232.

Mary was born January 17, 1929 in Martins Ferry, Ohio. When she was eight years old she moved to Somerton, Ohio and lived on the family farm. In 1947 she graduated from Somerton High School and then she attended Riggs Le Mar Beauty College in Wheeling, West Virginia. She graduated with a certificate and license of cosmetology. In 1948 she moved to Akron, Ohio where she met and married the love of her life, Frank Swiger on November 25, 1948. She worked at Duo Art Beauty Shop in Akron for one year and then became a home maker and mother. Together with her husband, Mary moved to Greensburg Ohio in 1953 where she raised her family. Mary was the owner and operator of the Greensburg Beauty Shop from 1959 until 1971. In 1971 she became a teacher’s assistant at the Greensburg Church of God Day Care Center until retirement in 1983. In 2004 she moved from Greensburg to Grants Pass and has lived here ever since.

Mary was a member of the PTA in Greensburg. She attended the Greensburg Church of God from 1953 to 2006. Locally she attended the New Hope Bible Church.

She volunteered as a Girl Scout Leader and taught Sunday school at Greensburg Church of God. She also volunteered for the American Cancer Society Support group. Mary was an active participant in the PTA and her children’s school activities

Her hobbies included bowling, flower arranging, painting, camping, traveling, snowbirding and spending time with her family including her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also enjoyed eating out and going to plays and musicals and spending time with friends.

Survivors include her two daughters, Kathryn Williams of Grants Pass and Norma Fran Laugsand (Vern) of Grants Pass; two sons, Thomas Swiger (Patricia) of Grants Pass, Oregon and Robert Swiger (Julie) of Cleveland Heights, Ohio; a sister, Doris Gaines of Lancaster Ohio; 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Preceding her in death was her husband, Frank Swiger; a brother, John Gaines; her parents, Orma and Norman Gaines and great-granddaughter Shalynn Marie Pierce.