Obituaries

Flora Lou Swearingen, 85, of Florence, passed away, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at Magnolia Springs in Florence.

Florie (Wright) Swearingen started out life as a little girl on the prairies of South Dakota. She was born on a ranch in Parade, South Dakota in 1938 and went to school in Eagle Butte. She graduated top of her class.

Florie attended Yankton College and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1966 with Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology. She then moved to Chicago and started a successful career in social work. She worked at South Central Community Services Inc. as a clinical supervisor at a Day Treatment Therapeutic High School. She also had a private psychotherapist practice for children and adolescents.

She married Ralph Swearingen in 1989. They worked together for many years and had fun traveling to many places.

Florie was kindhearted her whole life. Even though she was in the late stage of dementia she would hold the hands of others when they were sad. She loved to dance and would encourage others to dance with her. She will be missed by so many that she touched throughout her life. Florie had a full and accomplished life. The gates of Heaven swung open wide to let her in.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Ralph Swearingen; parents, Carroll, and Elsie (Ruffcorn) Wright; brother, Johnny Wright; sisters, sister in laws, and brother in laws, Marda (Dallas) Kern, Mavis Schrempp, Charlene Wright, Kenneth Glum, Charles Mussler, and Russell Peacock. Survivors include brothers, George Wright, Bill (Holly) Wright, and James (Sharon) Wright; sisters Estelle Glum, Fern Mussler, and Rebecca Peacock; brother-in-law, Dean Schrempp; stepchildren, Kathryn (Rob) Anderson, and Marjorie (Lyle) Wagner, and a host of nieces and nephews and many great nieces, and nephews.

Services are private and at the convenience of the family.

Memorials are suggested to the Cheyenne River Youth Project https://lakotayouth.org/give/.

Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Hebron is serving the family.