Donald Owen Swing, 86, of Lincoln passed away December 23, 2014. Don was born February 13, 1928 to Paul and Goldie (Kessinger) Swing at their farm near Rensselaer, IN. Don was the oldest of three children –a sister Peggy and a brother James. He worked his way through Purdue University where he participated in ROTC, and graduated in December of 1950 with a degree in Civil Engineering. Don’s father passed away in March 1951 which ended a brief employment with the Bureau of Reclamation in Washington State. He returned home to be with family and to take care of the family farm.
Don met the love of his life Mary Clouse from Rensselaer, in May of 1951. He took employment with Reith-Riley Construction building roads in northern Indiana and Michigan. Don and Mary were married on January 4, 1953. His construction job meant they moved from site to site 16 times in 5 years. Their first son, Jeffery Donald, was born at one stint in Hillsdale, Michigan in 1954. They moved the family in 1956 to Lincoln, NE as Don took employment with a design company and then with the Nebraska Department of Roads. They moved to their current home in 1957 where they were blessed with three more children, Bryan William, born in 1960, Blair Paul, born in 1962 and Lisa Lynne, born in 1964. Don and Mary and their children were active members at First Christian Church and founding members of SouthPointe Christian Church.
Don remained employed at the Nebraska Department of Roads, moving from Road Design to Materials and Test with increasing responsibilities. He was promoted to Deputy State Engineer in 1987, a position he maintained until his retirement in June of 1993. Don was active on numerous state and national boards including the Nebraska Board of Public Roads Classifications and Standards, and the Association of General Contractors of America. He was also an adjunct professor in Civil Engineering at the UNL.
After retirement Don remained very busy, volunteering at Lincoln General Hospital in the Oncology department and later volunteering as a docent at the Nebraska Historical Society. Don and Mary also volunteered at Matt Talbot for the past 12 years. Don was an avid gardener, reader of history, and was prolific in designing and constructing stained glass art as well as painting water-color.
Don is survived by wife Mary; son Jeffery and his wife Carrie, and grandsons David and Andrew of Charleston, WV; daughter-in-law Lonnie of Grand Junction, CO; son Blair and his wife Mi Sook, and grandson Brook of Fort Worth, TX; and daughter Lisa and her husband Bret Gengenbach, and granddaughters Megan and her husband Brandon Proffitt; Erica and her husband Jon Karas; and Zoe, all of Lincoln; sister Peggy and her husband Allen Orr of Lafayette, IN; brother James and his wife JoAnne Lamb of Palmer, AK; sister-in-law Betty Clouse of Grand Rapids, MI; and nieces and nephews and their families. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, and son Bryan who passed away in February 2014.
Memorials should be given to Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach, SouthPointe Christian Church and the Salvation Army.