John Donald Swihart, Jr.

John Donald Swihart Jr.
Aug. 3, 1936 - Nov. 5, 2023
John Donald Swihart Jr. passed away Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, in Oklahoma City after a short illness. He was 87 years old.
John was born the only child of Mary Fern Madden Swihart and John Donald Swihart on Aug. 3, 1936, and raised in Oklahoma City and Kiowa County, Oklahoma. He obtained his first degree in engineering from The University of Oklahoma. He was a life-long learner and obtained a master's degree in business administration from The University of North Texas and an additional degree in Ranch Management from Texas Christian University.
John was married to Mary Anne Nixon Swihart for 56 years, prior to her death in 2014. They had four children together: Susan LaRue Swihart Knippel, Timothy George Swihart, David Gerard Swihart and Mary Kathryn Swihart Laupus.
After his service as a lieutenant in the United States Army, John moved his young family to Oklahoma City and then to Fort Worth to work at the Federal Aviation Administration. He was an aerospace engineer, with expertise in helicopters. He often traveled abroad for his job and spent many years exploring the family history in Munich, Germany. John took night classes at Tarrant County College to develop his German language skills and he was proud to take many trips to Germany with his family, showing them the sites and introducing them all to proper German bier!
When John retired from the FAA, he moved to his ancestral farm and ranchland in western Oklahoma, where he raised wheat and cattle. He was proud of his family's heritage as owners of two farms certified as Centennial Farms by the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. He loved the agricultural lifestyle and in 2021, he was named Cattleman of the Year by the Kiowa County Cattleman's Association.
John was a lifelong Catholic who lived his faith by serving in the leadership of his church homes in both Fort Worth, Texas, and Hobart, Oklahoma. He was the scoutmaster for his son's Boy Scout troop and saw both boys and his grandson, Sam, achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. He was proud to support military veterans and his local volunteer fire departments, who came out more than once to save the fields at the farm!
John was preceded in death by his parents John and Mary, his wife Mary, his son David and David's wife, Suzan. and his son-in-law Kenneth Knippel. He is survived by his children Susan (deceased husband Kenneth), Timothy (wife Lynne) and Kathy (husband Steve). He has eight grandchildren: Katie Knippel Gomez (Andres), Emily Knippel Lopez (Stephen), Amanda Knippel, Samuel Swihart, John Donald Swihart II (Dakota), Shelby Swihart Schwab (Tim), Lyndsey Laupus Mercado (Moises) and Ryan Laupus. Additionally, he was blessed with eight great grandchildren. We are also happy to count his dear friend Midge Stillson as part of our family.
If you would like to honor John's life with a donation, we'd like to suggest these that were close to his heart:
Kenneth Knippel Endowed Scholarship
c/o Aldine Education Foundation www.AldineEducationFoundation.org
St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church
324 S. Randlett Street
Hobart, Oklahoma 73651
The volunteer fire departments of Gotebo, Sedan and Cooperton Oklahoma
Viewing & Visitation: 3:00 p.m.~8:00 p.m., Thursday, November 9, 2023
9:00 a.m.~8:00 p.m., Friday, November 10, 2023
Ray & Martha's Funeral Home
Hobart, Oklahoma
Rosary: 7:00 p.m., Friday, November 10, 2023
Ray & Martha's Funeral Home
Hobart, Oklahoma
Mass of Christian Burial: 12:00 p.m., Saturday, November 11, 2023
St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church
Hobart, Oklahoma
Internment: Resurrection Cemetery of St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church
Hobart, Oklahoma
Reception following the burial.