Jean Swigert Obituary (1939 - 2021)

1939 – 2021 TOPSHAM – Jeanne Anne C. Swigert, 82, died peacefully on July 26th, 2021. Jeanne was born on May 20, 1939 in Rochester, NY, the daughter of Walter H. and Margaret (Evans) Carnahan. Jeanne graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics. She married Harry Martin Swigert in 1962. They raised their family first in Burlington, MA and then in Ridgefield, CT. Upon retirement Jeanne and Harry built their dream home in East Hampton, CT and wintered in Englewood, Florida. In December 2019, Jeanne moved to Maine, following Harry’s death. All along the way, Jeanne made dozens of life-long friends who will miss her dearly. Jeanne was a devoted mother. She treasured her daughters, Laura Jeanne Hench of Maine, and Karen Elizabeth Citow of Illinois, and her sons-in-law, David Hench and Jonathan Citow. She especially loved her role as Grandma to Natalie, Jess, and Evan Hench and to Ben, Emma, and Harry Citow. She was an animal lover, and had several cherished dogs: Klink, Pepper and now, Maggie. Jeanne worked as a substitute teacher and a travel agent. Her volunteer work included counseling amputees, teaching adults to read, and reading to residents at a memory care home. Jeanne loved football (especially Cornell Homecoming games), great art (especially Mary Cassatt and Claude Monet), and she was an avid reader (among her favorites was the Mitford series by Jan Karon). Jeanne was predeceased by her husband of 57 years, Harry Swigert, her parents, her brother Michael, and her sister-in-law, Barb Carnahan. Jeanne is survived by her brother, Walt of CA, her two daughters, her sister-in-law, Kathy Swigert Hissong of MI, her brother-in-law and her sister-in-law Paul Swigert and Patricia Shane Swigert of NH, her sister-in-law, Bea Carnahan of NY, and many beloved nieces and nephews. A private family interment service beside her husband will be held on Saturday, August 21, at Grove Cemetery in Freeport, Maine. Arrangements are by Stetson’s Funeral Home, 12 Federal Street, Brunswick, Maine. In lieu of flowers donations in honor of Jeanne’s memory can be made to Camp Sunshine of Maine which provides retreats for children with life-threatening illnesses while enabling hope and promoting joy at 35 Acadia Road, Casco, ME 04015 www.campsunshine.org.