Jerry Lee Swigert

Jerry Lee Swigert, age 74 of Perry, formerly of Des Moines passed away on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, at the Kings Garden of Perry Lutheran Homes in Perry, IA. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, December 27, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Perry with visitation beginning at 12:30 p.m. until the time of the service. Burial will be in the Violet Hill Cemetery in Perry. Memorials will be given to his family and may be left at the Carris Family Funeral Home & Cremation Care. He was born on March 11,1948 at the Boone County Hospital in Boone, Iowa, the son of Clarence and Muriel (Grimm) Swigert. His family lived in Boone during his grade school years then moved to Perry. Jerry graduated in 1966 from Perry High School. He earned his Associates Art Degree from the Boone Junior College in 1968. On July 25,1970 he married Brenda Lea Burton at the United Methodist Church in Perry. In this union they were blessed with the birth of Chad and Megan. They made their first home in Des Moines, Iowa where he was employed by the Iowa Commission for the Blind. They moved to Perry in 1971. He later joined his parents in running Perry Lockers until a fire destroyed the business in September of 1977. He and his family relocated to Ogden where they opened Swigert's Quality Meats in November 1978. He earned his Bachelor's Degree from Iowa State University in December 1988. His family moved to Des Moines in July 1989. He worked at the Principal Financial Group in Des Moines for several years. He then worked at the Farm Bureau in West Des Moines until his retirement in 2011. He worked at H&R Block as a tax preparer in Des Moines during his retirement years. Jerry was an ISU Cyclones fan and enjoyed watching NASCAR races and western movies. Jerry and Brenda attended several concerts together. He enjoyed spending time with his P.T. Cruiser friends going to car shows and cruising in his P.T. convertible named BluStar. He enjoyed family vacations, holidays and spending time with his grandchildren. He was a long-time member of the Fort Des Moines United Methodist Church in Des Moines and transferred his membership to the United Methodist Church in Perry last summer. Preceding him in death were his parents, his in-laws Keith and Rose Burton, his brother-in-law Bruce Klein, and his foster sister Marie Swigert. Survivors include his loving wife of 52 years Brenda, son Chad (Shelby) Swigert of Des Moines, daughter Megan (William) Morales of Aurora, Colorado, brother Ronnie Swigert of West Des Moines, foster sister Jane Simbro of Altoona, sister in-law Vicki Klein of Perry, brother in-law Kerry (Robin) Burton of Paola, Kansas, niece Emily Gillett of Osawatomie, Kansas: grandchildren Parker Swigert of Des Moines, Isolde Swigert of Grimes, Kayden and Kennedy Melbie of Des Moines, Viviana Zavacki of Des Moines, special friends Deborah Hill of Grimes and Helene Wilson of Des Moines, and expected granddaughter Mia Morales due to arrive in January, and his beloved dog Sasha Olivia. Funeral Service Tuesday, December 27, 2022 1:30 PM First United Methodist Church 1100 3rd St. Perry, IA 50220 Visitation Tuesday, December 27, 2022 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM First United Methodist Church 1100 3rd St. Perry, IA 50220