Obituary of Jonas Neale Swecker

Jonas Neale Swecker, 85, won his battle with Alzheimer’s disease on Wednesday, November 29, 2017, at Mon Health Center in Morgantown, West Virginia. His loving wife Elizabeth at his bedside.

Jonas was born October 18, 1932 to Kent and Floda (Kyle) Swecker in Valley Head, West Virginia, the fourth of seven children. After his graduation from Tygarts Valley High School in 1951, Jonas enlisted in the United States Navy where he proudly served our nation as a yeoman for 20 years, including a tour in Vietnam. He retired in 1971 and attended West Virginia University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism in 1976.  Shortly after starting his second career as a Logistics Coordinator with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Jonas met and married the love of his life, Elizabeth Blanche Knutti.  They enjoyed frequent travel throughout the United States as part of a research team testing miners and other workers for various respiratory diseases.

No one was a stranger to Jonas.  He drew people to him with his gregarious personality and knack for story-telling. He loved the Lord and dedicated an hour each morning to scripture and devotions with Elizabeth. He used the talents God gave him to create beautiful works of art through painting and furniture making and graciously gifted these treasures to family and friends.  An avid outdoorsman and nature-lover, Jonas enjoyed many years of deer hunting on Cheat Mountain with his son, brothers, nephews and cousins and, later in life, fly-fishing on Penns Creek with his wife and coworkers.  He imparted his love for fishing to his grandchildren at annual family reunions along the South Branch of the Potomac River.  Jonas was a loving son, husband, father, grandfather and friend who will be dearly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.  We are all comforted knowing that Jonas Swecker knows who Jonas Swecker is again.

Jonas is survived by his wife of 32 years, Elizabeth; his children, Terri Frederique and husband Gerard, of Pinehurst, NC, Paul Swecker and wife Yul of Redmond, WA, and Jill Dejak and husband Peter, of Pinehurst, NC; his grandchildren, Jessica (Dejak) Tilton and husband Joshua, Nathaniel Frederique, Sarah Dejak, Leah (Frederique) Roemer and husband Dustin, Christopher Dejak, and Jonathan and Angela Swecker; his brother, Bayard; his cousin, Nolen Swecker; the mother of his children, Carolyn Thorn; and many nieces nephews and friends.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his brothers, George and Gary and his sisters, Winifred “Winnie” Dyche, Lucy Goodman, and Yvonne “Bonnie” Clatterbuck.

Friends and family will be received at Morgantown Bible Church, 1407 Brookhaven Road, Morgantown, WV, on Monday, December 4, from 3pm to 7pm. Visitation will continue on Tuesday, December 5, from 9am until the time of the service at 10am with Pastor Jim Cooley, II, officiating. Interment will follow at the West Virginia National Cemetery, Pruntytown, West Virginia at 2pm with full military rites provided at the graveside.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Morgantown Bible Church, 1407 Brookhaven Road, Morgantown, WV or Alzheimer’s Disease Research, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, PO Box 1950, Clarksburg, MD 20871.

Send condolences online at www.hastingsfuneralhome.com