Loretta Cecilia Swinarsky

Loretta Cecilia Swinarsky was born on September 9, 1925 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, to Lawrence and Genevieve Smet. She was the eldest of seven children. Loretta is survived by three sisters: Leatrice Queen; Rosalia Ahles; Emma Jean Zander, and one brother, Lawrence. She is also survived by her five stepchildren: Jerry (Kay) Swinarsky; Dan (Trish) Swinarsky; Jeffrey (Maryann) Swinarsky; Lisa (Russ) Mead; and Tracey Swinarsky, nine grandchildren: Keith Swinarsky; Derrick (Amy) Swinarsky; Josh Swinarsky; Jeffrey Swinarsky; Tommy Swinarsky; Nina Swinarsky; Kim Mead; Doug Mead; and Erin Swinarsky, as well as two great-grandchildren: Caroline and Tate Swinarsky. Loretta was married in 1947 to Joe Nerad, and was widowed in 1986, after 39 years of marriage. After Joe died, Loretta moved to Rio Rancho, New Mexico, where she met and married Francis Swinarsky, a widower with five grown children Loretta happily made her own. After 21 years of marriage, Francis died in 2010. Loretta continued to live on her own, until at the age of 92, she moved into Fairwinds Assisted Living, where she made many new friends, and was surrounded by love! Loretta died peacefully at home on Wednesday night, December 18, 2019.  

Would you like to know more about this remarkable woman’s life? Then, please read on for the story of Loretta’s life, as recalled by her friend, Sharon Kuchar:

Loretta Cecilia Smet was born on September 9, 1925, in the small town of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, to Lawrence and Genevieve Smet. She was the eldest of seven children, and grew up during the Great Depression. Her family moved to Milwaukee, so her father, a bricklayer, could find work.  On Halloween night, just after Loretta turned six, her father was bicycling down a dark street, over a bridge, headed for home, after a quick trip to the store, with little Loretta perched upon the handlebars. He hit an unseen pothole and the bike was upended. Loretta was thrown off, and somehow got her left foot caught between the spokes of the spinning wheel, causing great damage to her foot. She ended up spending two months in the nearby Catholic hospital, tended to by the kind nuns, with her mother often spending the night on a cot beside her bed. When she finally went home and returned to her first-grade class, a kind neighbor boy picked her up each morning, and pulled her to school in his wagon, then back home again after school. She missed so much school that year, she had to repeat first grade.  After graduating from high school, Loretta took a job as a counter girl at a local bakery. After only two weeks on the job, the owner made her the manager! This began a lifelong career in retail management.   Loretta met Joseph Nerad when she was 18. They began dating and soon knew it was serious. Because Joe was 15 years older than Loretta, her parents asked her to wait to marry him until she was 21, certain that the romance would fizzle. It didn’t, and they were married on April 26, 1947.  Soon after the wedding, Loretta left the bakery job and became the manager of the Ladies Department at Chapman’s Department Store in Milwaukee. Loretta worked there until the store closed in the early 1980’s. She then went to work at the Boston Store, managing the Ladies Department, and then the Bridal Department.  Joe was an avid golfer, even competing in state tournaments. Joe played golf every free weekend he had off from his job as a traveling sales rep for a painting supply company, so Loretta realized that if she ever wanted to see him, she had better learn to play golf! Joe was happy to teach her, and so began a lifelong love of the game; both playing, and following the tournaments, in person, and on television. Just weeks ago, she was pleased to see Tiger Woods do so well in the President’s Cup in Australia!  Loretta and Joe also enjoyed trips to the lake to boat and fish. Sadly, Joe was diagnosed with lung cancer, and died when Loretta was 60 years old, after 39 happy years of marriage. She had retired to be able to take care of him through his battle with cancer, and after his death, she decided to move out west to Rio Rancho, New Mexico, to be near her sister, Leatrice, who had also been widowed, for a fresh start at life.  Loretta joined the Welcome Wagon Club of West Mesa, and soon made many new friends. She even served as president of the club for several years. She also volunteered as a front desk greeter for many years at St. Joseph’s Westside Hospital, now Lovelace Westside. Two years after moving to Rio Rancho, she met Francis Swinarsky. Friendship soon blossomed into love, and they were married on March 17, 1989, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, by Msgr. Bolman, who gave them a dispensation to be married during Lent because it was on St. Patrick’s Day! So began a 21 year-long marriage, filled with much happiness for Francis and Loretta.  Having no children of her own, Loretta relished now gaining five grown stepchildren and becoming Grandma to nine grandchildren as they came along, and later, two great-grandchildren. Francis and Loretta loved to travel with their dear friends, Ken and Pat Seifert. These trips were often planned at the drop of a hat; driving together to places like Las Vegas, California, and Florida, to play golf, sightsee, and play the slot machines whenever possible! Francis and Loretta were also active at their parish, becoming close friends with Msgr. Bolman, who was pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church at the time.  Francis’ health began to decline, and Loretta lovingly cared for him through many illnesses, ups and downs, until he passed away in March, 2010. Always concerned for the welfare of others, Loretta continued to care for her good friend, Ruth Welsh, who was sick and legally blind. Loretta was her constant companion, taking her to doctor appointments, shopping, errands, even outings to Sandia Casino, as well as attending to her everyday needs.  Ruth died in 2014, and Loretta found herself again facing a new chapter in her life. She moved from her condo at “The Greens” into an apartment at Buena Vista Senior Apartments. Severe hearing loss and the need to give up driving when she turned 90, increased her isolation and dependence on others: very difficult for a fiercely independent and outgoing woman. Longtime friends David and Lorraine Bratt, Jeff Pfister and Sharon Krizan, and new friends, Dennis and Sharon Kuchar, helped keep Loretta connected and moving forward confidently into her final years.  On New Year’s Eve, 2017, Loretta moved into an assisted living apartment at Fairwinds in Rio Rancho, where she soon made many new friends, most especially, her neighbor, Luz Onsurez. How she loved playing “Nickels” every Sunday and Thursday afternoon, and attending the Catholic communion service on Sunday morning followed by breakfast with her friends. She so loved all her caregivers, who became like family to her! Their genuine kindness, friendliness, and devotion were deeply appreciated by Loretta, and all of us who loved her. She so enjoyed all the young adults who served her in the dining room, or brought her meals up to her room!  Though all of Loretta’s stepchildren and grandchildren were scattered across the country, she kept in loving contact through regular telephone calls and sending cards to mark birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions and accomplishments. She loved her family, and often said that the best gift Francis ever gave her were his five children and their families! She looked forward to visits from Jerry, her eldest stepson, and his wife, Kay, who drove out each year to help celebrate her birthday, treating her to several days at Sandia and Santa Ana Casinos, margaritas in the lounge, dinners at Red Lobster and the Fairwinds dining room, and hours and hours of smiles, laughter, and happy conversation.   

Loretta’s health had been steadily declining, especially this past year. She bore her share of the limitations of old age, as her hearing worsened, macular degeneration took away her ability to read and write, and aches and pains became more persistent. Through it all, she remained upbeat and cheerful, scolding herself if she ever let slip a word of complaint, because “so many people have it much worse than me.” Loretta had a deep love for God, and cherished her Catholic faith, which sustained her through every storm, provided joy in her daily living, and gave her hope for whatever lay ahead. For many years, she was a committed Adorer at the Chapel at St. Thomas Aquinas, making a holy hour every Tuesday morning at 11:00 before the Blessed Sacrament. She had a tender and loving devotion to our Blessed Mother, and prayed the Rosary faithfully each day.  On Tuesday morning, December 17th, Loretta’s heart finally began to give out, causing her to faint and fall, hitting her head. A trip by ambulance to the Lovelace Westside ER revealed quickly that she was not going to just get stitched up and return home. Over the course of the next 36 hours, she slowly gave way to the sweet, loving call of Jesus to leave this earthly life, and come back home to Him, the Lord she had loved and served all her 94 years. She had no fear of death and rejoiced when Fr. Young arrived to give her the Last Rites and pray with her. Friends were summoned, and arrived at the hospital to say their final loving farewells. She passed away peacefully, back in her apartment at Fairwinds, under hospice care, at 11:00 on Wednesday night, December 18th. Her two Sharons were by her side.  We will never forget Loretta! Her smile, her laughter, her warmth, her ever-grateful heart, and example of kindness will remain with us, her family and friends…forever.  Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord. And may perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Services will be held at 10:00 AM, Monday, January 6, 2020, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 1502 Sara Road, Rio Rancho, NM 87124.