Robert Kenneth "Kenny" Swan

Robert Kenneth “Kenny” Swan, 90, of Cape Girardeau passed away Friday, December. 7, 2018, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau.

He was born November 28, 1928, in Coon Island, Missouri, to Robert Lawrence and Lillie Vern Rommel Swan.  He and Mary Lou Graff were married Jan. 18, 1949, in Cape Girardeau.  They had been married 63 years, when Mary Lou passed away October 20, 2012.

At a very young age, Kenny started his working career as a sharecropper for George Bader in the East Cape Girardeau area, working alongside his father, behind a team of mules.  Soon after meeting his wife, he worked for Gerald Flynn with Mid-Valley Towing and Missouri Barge Co., retiring as chief engineer in 1971.  He then worked as a diesel mechanic for Cletus and Clayton Shirrell at Cape Ready Mix and then to Commercial Transport, retiring as shop foreman in 1995.  After retirement, Kenny kept busy by painting houses, mowing lawns and doing odd jobs for many prominent people in the Cape Girardeau community.  He had been a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church since 1959, Knights of Columbus Council #1111 and was a member of Teamsters Union #574 all in Cape Girardeau.

Loving survivors include a daughter, Linda Westbrook of Cape Girardeau; a son, Gerald “Jerry” (Jaime Jo) Swan of Jackson; two sisters, Anna Fern (the late Clyde) McMillan and Sharon (Stan) Schmidt of Cape Girardeau; six grandchildren, Thomas (Sherry) Westbrook, Jr., Sean and Ken (Heather) Westbrook, Joey, Alex and Peyton Swan; two step-grandchildren, Wyatt and Shiann Dunning and three great-grandchildren, Ashley, Josh and Olivia Westbrook; two step-great-grandchildren, Mira and Killian Themm, and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Charlie (Shirley) Swan, Lawrence “Dude” (Judy) Swan, and two sisters, Helen (Martin) Rick and Joyce (Charlie) Kain; and an infant brother.

The visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, December 11, 2018, at McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau with parish prayers at 7 p.m. followed by the rosary to follow.

The Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Cape Girardeau, with the Rev. Rick Jones officiating. Interment will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Cape Girardeau.

The family suggests that contributions be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105
Tel: 1-800-805-5856
Web: https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html?sc_icid=header-btn-donate-now&homepagedonate