Kathleen Swegler

She was born in Longview Texas to Joe and Sarah Ethel Grimes (both deceased) on Oct 26, 1927. At the age of 16 she went the University of Texas at Austin where she roomed with her life-long friend Verna Mae Lyon. She also met John Swegler (deceased) from El Paso, with whom she was married for 69 years. They attended daily mass at Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church for many years. She graduated from UT at the age of 19 with a degree in Childhood Development and moved to El Paso with John to start a family.

While raising 11 children, Kay worked with PTA, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, National Council of Catholics and Jews, League of Women Voters, Birthright, and served as precinct chair for the Democratic Party. Kay was instrumental in the movement to give movies a rating. As part of this work she and her sister, Ann Herman (deceased), first had a weekly newspaper column and then added a weekly radio show to review the movies. The rating that were published in the paper began spreading across the country which lead to the movie industry to start their own rating system.

Kay spoke to Jr High and High School students for 40 years across El Paso, Ysleta and the Catholic High Schools to inspire students to consider abstinence until marriage so they would forge a strong, loving relationship as the foundation of marriage. She spoke of the differences on how men and women thought in order for them to become more considerate of their partners. She openly answered all of their questions and became affectionately know as the "Sexy Grandmother". Birthright used her talks as a model for other parts of the country.

Kay and Johnny took their children on extended camping vacations every summer to show them the wondrous country in which they learned to respect nature and its beauty while visiting many of the National Parks and Forests.

Predeceasing her were her parents Joe and Ethel Grimes, her five siblings: Joseph, Ralph, Edward, Robert and Patricia Ann; and her son Charles Anthony Swegler (d 1971). She is survived by her children: Teresa Mary Swegler, Paul Lawrence Swegler (Erica), Sarah Jo Walsh (Robert Walsh), Barbara Ann Hocking (Gary Hocking deceased); Laura May Swegler (Roger Smith); Sheila Irene Swegler; Bart Alvin Swegler (Lore); Philip John Swegler (Tanya); Robert Joseph Swegler (Sharon); Elizabeth Louise Flaherty (Dennis Flaherty); 15 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren.

The rosary will be Thursday May 17 at Martin Funeral Home on Montana at 8 pm.

The funeral Mass will be at 10:00 am on May 18th at Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church and burial at Restlawn Memorial Park on Dyer. Memorials can be made to Birthright or Our Lady of Assumption in lieu of flowers.