Jerry Lee Swigert, 74, of Perry and formerly of Des Moines passed away Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022, at the King’s Garden of the Perry Lutheran Homes in Perry, Iowa.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 1:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Perry, with visitation beginning at 12:30 p.m. until the time of the service. Burial will be in the Violet Hill Cemetery in Perry.
Jerry was born on March 11, 1948, at the Boone County Hospital in Boone, Iowa, the son of Clarence and Muriel (Grimm) Swigert.
His family lived in Boone during his grade school years and then moved to Perry.
Jerry graduated in 1966 from Perry High School. He earned his associate of arts degree from the Boone Junior College in 1968.
On July 25, 1970, he married Brenda Lea Burton at the First United Methodist Church in Perry. In this union they were blessed with the birth of Chad and Megan.
The family made their first home in Des Moines, where Jerry was employed by the Iowa Commission for the Blind. They moved to Perry in 1971.
He later joined his parents in running the Perry Lockers until a fire destroyed the business in September 1977.
Jerry and his family relocated to Ogden, where they opened Swigert’s Quality Meats in November 1978.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University in December 1988.
The family moved to Des Moines in July 1989, and Jerry worked at the Principal Financial Group in Des Moines for several years. He then worked at the Farm Bureau in West Des Moines until his retirement in 2011. He worked at H&R Block as a tax preparer in Des Moines during his retirement years.
Jerry was an ISU Cyclones fan and enjoyed watching NASCAR races and western movies. Jerry and Brenda attended several concerts together.
He enjoyed spending time with his P.T. Cruiser friends, going to car shows and cruising in his P.T. convertible, named BluStar.
Jerry enjoyed family vacations, holidays and spending time with his grandchildren.
He was a long-time member of the Fort Des Moines United Methodist Church in Des Moines and transferred his membership to the First United Methodist Church in Perry last summer.
Preceding him in death were his parents; his in-laws, Keith and Rose Burton; his brother-in-law, Bruce Klein; and his foster sister, Marie Swigert.
Survivors include his loving wife of 52 years, Brenda; son, Chad (Shelby) Swigert of Des Moines; daughter, Megan (William) Morales of Aurora, Colorado; brother, Ronnie Swigert of West Des Moines; foster sister, Jane Simbro of Altoona; sister-in-law, Vicki Klein of Perry; brother-in-law, Kerry (Robin) Burton of Paola, Kansas; niece, Emily Gillett of Osawatomie, Kansas; grandchildren, Parker Swigert of Des Moines, Isolde Swigert of Grimes, Kayden and Kennedy Melbie of Des Moines and Viviana Zavacki of Des Moines; special friends, Deborah Hill of Grimes and Helene Wilson of Des Moines; and expected granddaughter, Mia Morales, due to arrive in January; and his beloved dog, Sasha Olivia.
Memorials will be given to his family and may be left at the Carris Family Funeral Home and Cremation Care. Online condolences may be left at www.carrisfuneralhome.com.
