Eleanora "Ellie" (Stites) Swanger

Ellie was born in East St. Louis, IL, on November 9, 1938, to Ray Edward Stites and Jessie Russell Stites. Her brother was born in 1944, after which the family returned to Central Missouri.

After high-school Ellie attended the University of Missouri where she graduated with a degree in education in 1960. She was teaching in St. Louis, MO, in the mid-1960s when she met and married John Swanger of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on May 8, 1965. In 1967, their daughter, Heidi, was born, followed by their son, Hans, in 1969.

Ellie continued her education, as she loved to learn, earning a Master’s degree in Special Education through a correspondence program in the late 1990s. She was indeed a strong and determined woman, as these studies coincided with being her husband's caregiver during his illness, which culminated in his passing on January 24, 2002.

After retiring from District 20 in Colorado Springs, she returned to teaching piano from home, a profession she had pursued for many years. She continued teaching until the summer of 2023, when her health began to deteriorate rapidly. Ellie also enjoyed teaching Sunday School and playing piano for several churches in the Colorado Springs area. She was active in the older adult Sunday School class at Cross Fellowship Church in Black Forest.

Ellie was a 40-year member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, where she served in many chapter and state positions. This increased her interest in genealogy and she avidly researched her family’s history for over 40 years. She loved her family and history so passionately her family often joked that she was determined to trace their lineage back to Adam and Eve.

Her funeral will be held at Cross Fellowship Church on Friday, September 6, at 10:00 AM. Ellie was predeceased by her parents and her husband, John Swanger. She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Marilyn Stites; her son and daughter-in-law, Hans and Carmen Swanger; her daughter, Heidi Baird; her granddaughters Daya, Danielle and Dara, two great granddaughters Clara and Harper; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

If you would like to send flowers, mums and carnations were her favorites. Any monetary donations can be sent to the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution: 1776 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.