Susan Greenwell Swinford

1957 - 2025

Susan Greenwell Swinford

June 25, 1957 - September 15, 2025

Lexington, Kentucky - Susan Greenwell Swinford passed from this life on September 15, 2025. She was born on June 25, 1957, to Robert E. Greenwell and Norma Anderson Greenwell and grew up in Owensboro, Kentucky. After graduating from Apollo High School in Owensboro, Susan attended the University of Kentucky, where she earned a bachelor's degree in 1981, followed by a master's degree in social work in 1986. She married Rodman Keenon Swinford (Rod) in 1985 and lived in Lexington, Kentucky her entire adult life.

Susan's professional career was dedicated to improving the care of terminally ill patients. In 1983, she was hired as a social worker by Hospice of the Bluegrass (HOB), now known as Bluegrass Care Navigators, and worked in direct patient care for 6 years. Susan became the director of the Jessamine County Hospice in 1989. In 1998, Jessamine County Hospice merged with Hospice of the Bluegrass, after which Susan returned to serve HOB in administrative roles, first as Vice President of Administration and later as Vice President of Innovation and Advocacy. Due to illness, she retired from HOB in 2021.

Susan was active with leadership roles in state and national hospice organizations, where she advocated for legislation governing Living Wills, Health Care Surrogates, and out-of-hospital Do Not Resuscitate orders, as well as for appropriate state regulations for hospice care services. She led efforts to expand services offered by HOB, including the introduction of palliative care and private duty nursing services. She also served as Vice President of Bluegrass Transitional Care, assisting in the transition from hospital to home hospice care. Her work included extending hospice services to several rural counties in Eastern Kentucky, expanding Alzheimer and other dementia care services in 32 counties, and coordinating HOB participation in combating the opioid epidemic in Eastern Kentucky through the UK HealthCare HEAL program.

Susan's personal life was devoted to her family and friends. She and Rod enjoyed family vacations at the beach and recreation time fishing and boating Kentucky's rivers and lakes. They met regularly with a supper club of 40 years, a close circle of friends who shared their daily experiences, while watching their children grow, mature, and enjoy life. More recently, Susan cherished the time she spent playing games with and telling stories to her grandchildren. Susan's unmatched vivacity brought joy to the lives of those who loved her, and she will be dearly missed.

She is survived by her husband of 40 years, Rod; by her sisters, Karen Greenwell (Mary Ann Hatton) and Cynthia Greenwell Ford (Marc); by her son, Rodman Keenon Swinford "Keenon" (Lucy) and grandchildren, Caroline Esten Swinford and Robert McGeorge Swinford "Mac"; and her daughter, Katherine Swinford Maxey (Matthew) and grandchildren, Margaret Anderson Maxey and Chandler Victor Maxey.

Visitation for Susan will be Wednesday, September 24th from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm at Milward - Broadway located at 159 N Broadway. Service will begin at 3:00 pm, Thursday, September 25th at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church located at 533 E Main Street.

To share a remembrance of Susan or to offer condolences to her family, please visit milwardfuneral.com to sign the tribute portion of her obituary page.