Rita Ann SWINDAL

1929 - 2019

SWINDAL, Rita Ann Rita Ann Swindal died peacefully, May 20, 2019, in Pittsburgh. Her sons, John and Jim, were at her side. She was 90. She was born in Chicago in 1929, to Catherine King and Aloysius Royer. She was the third oldest of nine children. The family later moved to the small town of Canton, Ill., where her father was a rural mail carrier. After high school, she returned to Chicago where she worked for the Guarantee Trust Life Insurance Company in the "Loop." She attended night school at DePaul University's Latin Institute. She met her future husband, Marc Swindal, a student of optometry, at a dance. They were married in 1951. They settled in Pullman, Wash. and had five children; Catherine, Patricia, Mary, Jim and John. After her marriage, Mrs. Swindal cared for her young family, helped her husband with his growing practice and volunteered at church. Over time, she found that her real passion was to help those who were older, alone and in need. As such, her innate skills as planner, an organizer and a leader were revealed. Mrs. Swindal became a key player in a growing network of health and social service agencies and dedicated volunteers who cared for older adults. They arranged meals, provided companionship and referrals to other services both big and small; whether it was a safe place to live , foot care, or a ride to the doctor. She was a volunteer at the Pullman Convalescent Center for years, pulling family members and friends along to help. She championed the then new concepts of home health care and hospice. Later she helped establish the Whitman County Council on Aging. She was instrumental in the formation of Pioneer Square, a senior housing facility in Pullman. She was a long-time board member of Catholic Charities in Spokane. She was honored for her work by the Governor of Washington state (twice) and many others who recognized the benefits of her work. Mrs. Swindal rejected any notion that what she did or accomplished, was remarkable. She allowed that she was just one of many who sought to help others. She admired and cared deeply for the people who worked alongside her. Mrs. Swindal was preceded in death by her husband Marc in 2011, and her oldest daughter Catherine Rawson in 2018. She is survived by her sons, two daughters, Mary and Patricia, ten grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 23, followed by a reception, both at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 440 NE Ash Street, in Pullman. Remembrances may be made to the Whitman County Council on Aging; P.O. Box 107, Colfax, WA 98111; telephone (509) 397-4305.