Alice E. Swift

1927 - 2025

Alice E. Swift

August 29, 1927 - March 14, 2025

Alice Elizabeth Reber Swift was the youngest daughter of Joseph Reber who was a bishop in the Mennonite sect that followed John Kaufman, an Amish Mennonite leader who preached in a trance. Her mother Sarah Edna Hostetler Reber was the second wife of Joseph, and Alice was her only child. Alice had eight step brothers and sisters from her father's first marriage, the youngest seven years older than her. Alice grew up on a farm in Shelby County, Ill., doing chores and milking the cows until her father acquired a milking machine.

The Reber family were Amish Mennonite, also known as 'Black bumper' Mennonites because, while they could own cars, they painted the chrome bumpers black so as to not be too ostentatious. They wore plain clothes and the women worn coverings over their hair which they did not cut. Alice was expected to complete the standard eight years of education, like her siblings, and to speak Pennsylvania German. But Alice wanted more "book learning."

Alice enrolled in Eastern Mennonite High School at age 19 with the blessing of her parents and later graduated from the Lancaster General Hospital Nurse's Training in Pennsylvania and Eastern Mennonite College (now Eastern Mennonite University) in Harrisonburg, Va. As a Registered Nurse, Alice worked at Shelby County Memorial Hospital in her home area and a children's hospital in Reisterstown, Md.

From 1957 – 1962 Alice worked with Mennonite Central Committee at Shirati hospital and leprosarium by Lake Victoria in Tanganyika, now known as Tanzania. She was exhilarated by extensive travel through Europe before arriving in East Africa, and dedicated herself to learning Swahili once there in order to communicate with staff and patients. Alice celebrated her 30th birthday while at Shirati. Required vacations took her to the Serengeti, the Nile River basin, Victoria Falls, and a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro (19,000 feet altitude) with other hospital colleagues.

After returning home, Alice completed a Master's Degree at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. She taught nursing at Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana before settling in Bloomington, Ill. in order to teach Medical-Surgical Nursing to students at Illinois Wesleyan University where she taught from 1972 until her retirement in 1992.

Alice had remained single throughout her years of service and educational pursuits, yet longed for a life partner. In 1976 she met Dr. Seth S. Swift, DVM and they married in July of 1977. They were married for 25 years until his death in 2002.

In later life, Alice lovingly tended her plants inside and out, and was an avid bird-watcher!

At age 11 Alice Reber chose to be baptized into her family's faith following the Mennonite custom of baptism at the age of accountability. Although at age 40 she shed her hair covering and cut her hair as well as changed to modern dress from her original plain clothing, she found great comfort and inspiration from her Christian faith that she cultivated for her entire life. Her memorial service will be held Thursday, May 8 at 3 p.m., at the Mennonite Church of Normal, Normal, Ill., where she was a dedicated and much-loved member for over 50 years. The Reverend Kevin Chupp will officiate.

Alice was preceded in death by all of her immediate family and her stepdaughter, Eleanor Swift. She is survived by many Hostetler and Reber nieces and nephews and their descendants. She is also survived by her step daughter, Elsa Swift Bakkum, (Carleton), three sons Ben, Carter and Peter (Kumi), and their daughter, Koko Mai Bakkum. In addition, she is survived by her step granddaughter, Laura Neuschwander McGuire, (Mike), and their young adult children, Emily and Evan McGuire.

Beck Memorial Home, Bloomington, Ill. is assisting the family with arrangements.