Shirley Swayne

November 4, 1944 - September 22, 2004

Shirley Margo Swayne, 59, of Ottawa, Kansas died Wednesday, September 22, 2004 at her home.

Graveside services and interment were held at  Greenview Memorial Gardens, East Moline, Illinois.

She was born November 4, 1944, in Pontiac, Illinois, the daughter of Floyd and Marjorie L. (Morris) Swayne. She grew up and graduated from Rock Island High School, Rock Island, Illinois, in 1962.

She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Illinois Wesleyan College at Bloomington, Illinois, in 1965 with honors. She earned a Masters Degree in Art from the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1968 in Graphics: Drawing/Printmaking, a Master in Fine Arts at the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1969, specializing in Drawing, and a Masters Degree in English from the University of Kansas in Lawrence in 1994.

She worked for the University of Wisconsin Center and Extension Systems at Janesville and Waukesha, Wisconsin, as Instructor of two dimensional studio arts, art education and adult education workshops. She was a Substitute teacher in art, K-12 at Madison Public Schools from 1968 to 1969. An Instructor at the Trumbull County Art Association in Warren, Ohio from 1969 to 1970. Instructor at Kent State University at Warren and Salem, Ohio from 1969 to 1974. She moved to Ottawa, Kansas in 1973. She was a Assistant Professor and Chair of the Art Department from 1976 to 1978. She was a visiting lecturer at the Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, Missouri from 1978 to 1979. In 1983 she taught at the Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas. An Outreach Instructor of English at the Fort Scott Community College in Paola, Kansas. A Community Arts Teacher for children and adults and creative writing for the Ottawa Community Arts Council from 1980 to 1995. From 1979 to 1995 She worked at Neosho County Community College in Ottawa, Kansas as Instructor of English Composition, Humanities, Philosophy and Art History. She also worked at the Ottawa Library as a Circulation Clerk.

She enjoyed creative writing, oil painting, charcoal sketches, etching, and weaving baskets. She especially enjoyed tutoring children.

She is survived by her mother, Marjorie Swayne of Coal Valley, Illinois; one Uncle, Jake Frink of Olympia, Washington; many cousins; and her cats, Della and Olympia. She was preceded in death by her father, Floyd Swayne; and a sister, Nancy Swayne.