Gerald
‘Sec’ Swearingen
T.
Gerald "Sec" Swearingen, 90, of McLean died at 4:35 a.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2001, at BroMenn Regional Medical Center in Normal.
His
funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 12, at the McLean
Christian Church. Tony Billingsley will officiate.
Burial
will be in McLean Cemetery.
Visitation
will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the McLean Christian Church.
Quiram
Funeral Home, Atlanta, is in charge of arrangements.
Swearingen
worked in administrative services at State Farm Insurance Company.
He retired Dec. 1, 1975, after 19 years with the company. He
previously worked 10 years as custodian and bus driver at McLean
High School, later McLean-Waynesville High School.
He
was born Nov. 21, 1910, at McLean to Thomas and Adeline Cornelius
Swearingen. He married Maude Sigler on April 17, 1937, in
Bloomington. She survives.
Also
surviving are one daughter, Ellen Joanne (and husband Rudy) Neat of
Springfield; one son, John Gary Swearingen of Bloomington; one
grandson, Scott Swearingen of Bloomington; two sisters, Ellen
Carpenter and Marilynn Geskey, both of Bloomington; and three
brothers, Stanley Swearingen of Bloomington, Ed Swearingen of
Tremont and Paul Swearingen of Stockton, Calif.
He
was also preceded in death by two brothers, two sisters and one son,
Stan Eugene.
Swearingen
was McLean’s lifetime native son. He graduated from McLean High
School in 1928. At the 1998 and 2000 alumni reunions he was the
oldest graduate present.
In
1933, to help a struggling, large family during the Depression, he
enlisted in the Civilian Conservation Corps and served for 15 months
in Oregon, California and Idaho. He was a member of a championship
baseball team based in Medford, Ore.
He
had an intense passion for baseball. He was involved in amateur
baseball for 64 years, including 25 as manager of the McLean Colts
and 32 years as president of the Corn Valley Baseball League. A most
rabid St. Louis Cardinals fan for 73 years, he was dubbed "Mr.
Cardinal" for his dedication to amateur baseball and the
Cardinals. His wildest acclaim was for his highly popular antics at
school ball games, when he led cheers and did the hula in a grass
skirt, much to the delight of fans.
He
was a past president of the McLean Civic Club. He was also a member
of AARP and the McLean Christian Church, where he received his
nickname, "Sec," because he was the Sunday School
secretary for many years, including his high school years.
