December 20, 2007

OBITUARIES

Eleanor Switzer

Eleanor Switzer, a 66-year resident of Yellow Springs, died on Dec. 10. She was 92. Eleanor was born on July 23, 1915, in Lafayette, Ind., where her father, a graduate of Cornell University, was an instructor at Purdue University. Her parents were Herbert B. and Eleanor Hurst Switzer. Eleanor was the oldest of their three daughters.

Eleanor graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, N. Y. and taught high school for two years in Dryden, N. Y. After teaching at Pyongyang Foreign School in Korea for two months in 1940, she attended Pendle Hill, a Quaker center for spiritual growth, study and service in Wallingford, Pa. Arthur Morgan met Eleanor at Pendle Hill and was impressed with her skills and abilities. He invited her to come to Yellow Springs as his private secretary and to work with Community Service, Inc., Eleanor arrived in Yellow Springs in May of 1941 and remained employed by Arthur Morgan until autumn 1957.

She was employed at the Yellow Springs News from 1957 to 1977, part of the time as partner with Keith Howard and Ken Champney. Her expertise was organizational skills and command of the English language. People from that era say that Keith was the "front man" but Eleanor got the paper together and out each week. Both were united in their zeal to promote the civil rights movement and were in the perfect media position to do that. It is said that Eleanor knew Coretta Scott while Coretta was a student at Antioch and they were in a group that discussed means of promoting the process of integration.

Eleanor became a Christian during time spent at Camp Farthest Out, an evangelical center in West Virginia. She continued as an active member of that group from 1951, with officers still visiting with her after the turn of the millennium. She became active in the First Presbyterian Church as deacon before transferring to the United Methodist Church in 1977 where her membership remains. She taught Sunday school, vacation Bible school and held a variety of offices. She was active as a choir member, as she was an accomplished pianist and loved to sing.

Eleanor organized the Yellow Springs Youth Club in 1959 with Griscom Morgan, as a family-oriented group. Their goal was to bring together children and young people from a wide range of backgrounds. The group met in an Antioch College building; the activities included tutoring by college students, hikes, picnics, cooking lessons, social gatherings and skating parties. She became owner of the Xenia Roller Rink on Lower Bellbrook in Xenia from 1961 to 1964 as means to insure its being an integrated facility. She even arranged bus service so Yellow Springs residents could access the recreational facility.

Eleanor was Community Council secretary in the 1960s; and nominating committee chairman in the 1970s. She was a member of Reconciliation, The Good News movement in the United Methodist Church, the Glen Helen Association, and the Senior Citizens. Eleanor started an early “hot-line” for women in crisis pregnancy situations. The calls were directed from the phone in her business to community volunteers who would encourage the women and get them help so they could keep their babies.

She followed the thrift ethic of the Quakers and was committed to caring for the body by natural means, organic foods and exercise. She supported local food co-ops that specialized in bulk foods that were not highly processed. Even after hip-replacement surgery, Eleanor continued to ride around town on her bicycle -— for exercise and most of all, to conserve natural resources.

Eleanor's modest home on Spillan Street was never locked — the front door was always open to anyone who needed to enter. There followed a constant flow of friends and persons in need who lived with Eleanor, as many as three individuals at a time.

Birthdays were big for Eleanor. Her favorite 80th birthday gift was a pair of athletic high top shoes. A special friend had taken her shopping and the shoes fit, were very utilitarian and she wore them with joy! Her 85th birthday bash, an open house event with many old friends attending, was a big party at Friend's Care where she was recovering from some very serious health issues. And her 90th was a small event with a few friends at Greenewood Manor in Xenia where she spent her last years.

Eleanor was independent, self sufficient and extremely capable. It is extraordinary how she cared for herself to and beyond the end. In 1983 she made arrangements with Wright State Medical School to donate her body for research. In that same year she typed out two sheets: her obituary information and a memorial service outline. The Rev. Charles Hill will conduct the memorial service at the United Methodist Church, 202 S. Winter Street, 767-7560, on Sunday, Dec. 23. at 2:30 p.m.

Eleanor is survived by her sister, Ruth Jette of Stamford, Conn., niece, Patty Jette and nephew, David Jette. She is also survived by multiple people, many in her beloved Yellow Springs, who are in her debt. A brilliant woman who was determined to share the love that God gave her with everyone who came her way, we rejoice with you, Eleanor, as you now joyously sing 24/7 in God's heavenly choir.

William Swabey

William A. (Pappy) Swabey Sr., died Tuesday, Dec. 11. He was 96.

William retired after 27 years of service at Morris Bean & Co. He was a founding member of the Hustead Fire Department and Rescue 95.

Mr. Swabey was preceded by his wife, Glenna Frances Swabey, in 1984; and by a sister, Mary Underwood; and three brothers, Frank Ward, John Ward and Calvin Ward.

He is survived by his children, Frieda and Jerry Gothard, William Jr. and Sally Swabey, Joyce and Wendell Helfrick, Nancy and William Chatfield, Donald Swabey and Sandra Justice, all of Springfield; grandchildren, Jeff and Theresa Gothard of Brambleton, Va., Jon and Jennie Gothard of Cincinnati, Donna and John Lindner of New Carlisle, David Swabey and Cheryl Eichelberger of Springfield, Beth and Tom Culross of Omaha, Neb., Michael and Shannon Chatfield of Springfield, Christopher and Beth Chatfield of Columbus, Matt and Angie Swabey of Harrodsburg, Ky., and Lauren Justice of Springfield; 13 great grandchildren; a loving sister, Edna Holland; and a special friend, Mary Kennedy. A funeral service was held at the Jackson Lytle and Williams Funeral Home in Yellow Springs on Monday, Dec. 17. Interment followed at Woodland Cemetery in Xenia. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Bethel Lutheran Church.

Helen Livesay

Helen Virginia Livesay of Xenia died Monday, Dec. 3, at her residence. She was 72.

She was born March 28, 1935, in Beavercreek, Ohio, the daughter of Arthur and Ethel (Harlow) Muterspaw. She worked in circulation with the Xenia Gazette.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 41 years, O.B. Livesay in 1995; brothers, Howard and Everett Muterspaw; and her brother-in-law, Dick Randall.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Edward O. and Alice L. Livesay of Xenia, her grandson, Lance E. Livesay; her sisters and a brother-in-law, Edith Randall and Ruth and Carroll Saunders, all of Xenia; her brothers and sisters-in-law, Wren and Gay Muterspaw of Yellow Springs, and Wayne R. and Carol Muterspaw of Jamestown; her sisters-in-law, Joy and Dessie Muterspaw, both of Xenia; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held on Friday, Dec. 7, at McColaugh Funeral Home, Xenia, with interment following at Woodland Cemetery, Xenia.