Virginia Kocel Swartzendruber

Virginia, or Jean as she came to the be known, was born September 20, 1926 in Olean, New York, daughter of Frank W. and Doris Langworthy Mason. She was not quite two when they moved to Saugerties, New York. Member of the A Capella Choir and captain of the cheerleading squad, among other activities, she graduated from Saugerties High School in 1944. For nearly two years, Jean contributed to the war effort by acting as a Junior Chief Aircraft Observer.

During her four years at Syracuse University, Jean was enrolled in the School of Speech and Drama, and was a member speech arts, broadcasting, and senior women’s honoraries among other activities. Graduating in 1948, she moved to New York City where she worked at several different jobs, the primary one being at ABC News. Subsequently she worked several years in Syracuse, New York in public relations and broadcasting.

In 1954, Jean decided to shift gears and had a year’s contract with Alexander Film Company in Colorado Springs as an actress-model. This was followed by a year with TV stations in Denver, and then back to Colorado Springs as assistant promotion director for the Broadmoor Hotel. In 1957, she married Air Force officer, Edward P. Kocel, and their first two sons Mason and Michael were born here. Subsequently they were transferred to New Brunswick, New Jersey, Anchorage, Alaska (where their third son Matthew was born), Falls Church, Virginia, Paris, France, Stuttgart, Germany, and then back to Virginia.

The family moved back to Colorado Springs after Lt. Col. Kocel retired, and joined Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. When she reentered the work field, it was with the Career Counseling and Placement Center at Colorado College, from 1975– 1983. Edward Kocel passed away in November of 1980.

In July of 1983, Jean married Willard H. Swartzendruber, a retired international insurance executive, who preceded her in death in August of 2011.

Jean is survived by her three sons Mason (Helen) Kocel of Oceanside, CA, Michael Kocel and his former wife Caryn of Colorado Springs, CO, Matthew (Pearl) Kocel of Vancouver, BC, stepson Gregory (Karin) Kocel and stepdaughter Jane Stepp both of Cleveland, OH, and stepdaughter Linda Flick of Coeur D’Alene, ID. She also left beloved grandchildren Marc, Christopher, Scott and Carley Kocel, step-grandsons Paul (Valarie) Kocel and Shawn Kocel and step-granddaughters Cassie and Abbey Okoniewski.

Jean was a past president of the League of Women Voters of the Pikes Peak Region, second vice president of the League of Women Voters of Colorado, past president of Alpha Xi Delta Alumnae Chapter, treasurer of Kissing Camels Ladies Golf Association, and past secretary of the Downtowners. She was a Republican Precinct co-chairman for twenty years, a Red Cross volunteer at military clinics in Virginia, Germany, and Colorado, a member of Parents Advisory Councils for Irving Junior High and Mitchell and Wasson High Schools.

She was also a past chairman of the Headquarters DCA Officers Wives Club, acted as co-moderator of the League of Women Voters interview program on KTSC-TV for two years, a Better Business Bureau arbitrator, Symphony docent, member of the World Affairs Council, Fine Arts Museum, Friends of the Library, and Friends of the Pioneers Museum, and Summer Crossroads host. Active at First United Methodist Church, Jean was a longtime member of the Chancel Choir, a past president of the Duo Class, called upon newcomers and the homebound, and a former member of the Fine Arts Commission, Worship Committee, and Youth Advisory Council, and a 45-year Symphony attendee.

There will be a Memorial Service at First United Methodist Church, 420 N. Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, Colorado, at 11:00 am on Thursday, August 25th.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the League of Women Voters of the Pikes Peak Region or LWV Colorado, or the First United Methodist Church Music or Youth Department, or Planned Parenthood or Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care.