Ora J. Swailes

Ora Swailes ILLINOIS CITY, Illinois - Ora J. Swailes, 53, of Illinois City, Illinois, passed away Friday, August 6, 2010, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. Funeral Service will be 2 p.m. on Wednesday, August 11, 2010, at the Geo. M. Wittich-Lewis Home for Funeral and Cremation Services. Casket bearers will be Bill Varnell, John Varnell, Jason Varnell, Chris Swailes, John Crow, Rocky Moore, Loren Patterson and Chad Patterson. Honorary bearers will be Braulio Sandoval, Shawn Schneckloth, Damon Varnell, James Dickess III, Devin Varnell, Billy Bubba Varnell, Dayton Niles, Austin Varnell, William Swailes, Colin Swailes and Traven Mills. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery. Following the interment a time of food and fellowship will be held. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 10, 2010, at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established at the funeral home in Ora's name. Ora Jane Puckett was born on February 6, 1957, in Kennett, Missouri, the daughter of John and Betty Mathis Puckett. She was married to Jay Swailes, her soul mate since 1977, on June 30, 1995. She loved hummingbirds and enjoyed...[more]

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ardening, flowers, music, caring for animals and, most of all, spending time with her family and grandchildren. Ora will be deeply missed by her husband, Jay Swailes of Illinois City; four sons, Bill Varnell of Illinois City, John Varnell and wife, Melissa, of Milan, Jason Varnell of Muscatine, and Chris Swailes and wife, Cassie, of Illinois City; three daughters, Melissa Dickess of Andalusia, April Sandoval of Muscatine, and Heather Mills and husband, Nathaniel, of Muscatine; 23 grandchildren; and two sisters, Joyce Puckett of Illinois City, and JoAnn Highbridge and husband, Gary, of Muscatine. She was preceded in death by her parents and her maternal and paternal grandparents.