Betty Lou Swincher

Betty Lou (Higgins) Swincher, 81, of Knightstown, died Friday, April 29, at Regency Place Rehabilitation Center in Greenfield. She was born Oct., 17, 1929, in New Castle, a daughter of the late Robert Harvey and Della Mae (Craig) Higgins.

Mrs. Swincher graduated from New Castle High School in 1949. She and Richard L. Swincher were married on Oct. 15, 1949. She worked as an operator for Indiana Bell Telephone for several years, and then became a homemaker once she and her husband began building their family of 11 children.

The Swincher family moved to Knightstown in 1969. She worked at Jac-Wil Casket Factory in Knightstown, and later at Indiana Knitwear in Greenfield.
Richard Swincher passed away in 1981, and she returned to school in 1982, earning an associate degree in nursing from Ivy Tech in 1984.

She worked at Regency Place Nursing Home in Greenfield until her retirement in 1995.
She was an avid fan of all sports, traveling to Atlanta in 1996 to attend the Olympic Games. She was especially fond of the Indianapolis Colts and Peyton Manning, the Butler Bulldogs, IU basketball under Bob Knight, and Tiger Woods.
An avid NASCAR and Jeff Gordon fan as well, for years Mrs. Swincher had two televisions in her living room, as she watched the Colts on one and the race on the other.
She often kept the TV remote control in her hand to change over to that week’s PGA golf match during commercials.

For many years Mrs. Swincher enjoyed a tradition of listening to the Indianapolis 500-mile race on the radio, and attended the race and qualifications several times.
Mrs. Swincher was a longtime member of the Knightstown American Legion Post 152 Ladies Auxiliary; and a former member of the Moose Lodge in New Castle and the Eagles Lodge in New Castle. She was also an avid bingo player.
She was a longtime supporter of the Knightstown Public Library and Knightstown Food Pantry.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband; one son, Donald; a brother, Jim Higgins; and a sister, Barbara Brown.
Survivors include six sons, Richard Steven (wife Ruby) Swincher of Fort Wayne; David (wife Ann) Swincher of Dripping Springs, Texas; Kenneth (wife Angie) Swincher of Plainfield; Ty Swincher of Knightstown; Cort (wife Angie) Swincher of Knightstown; J. Mark (wife Lori) Swincher of Carthage; four daughters, Paula Glick of Fort Wayne; Rhea (husband Lonnie) Duvall of New Castle; Della Swincher (husband Jerry) of Vevay; and Jenny (husband Denny) Davis of Knightstown; 30 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and 10 nieces and nephews.

Calling is Monday, May 2, at Hinsey-Brown Funeral Service, Knightstown Chapel, from 4-8 p.m. Funeral services are Tuesday at 11 a.m., with Pastor Bill Roberts, of Christ Fellowship Church, officiating. Burial will follow in McCray Cemetery in Wilkinson.
Mrs. Swincher’s six sons will serve as pall bearers.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mrs. Swincher’s memory to the Knightstown food pantry, located in the United Methodist Church, 27 S. Jefferson St., Knightstown. Online condolences may be expressed at www.hinsey-brown.com .