Kenneth J. Swearingen was a lucky man. He lived a long, happy and healthy life, passing away on January 26, 2025, after a very brief illness at the age of 98, at the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt. Ken had been a passionate and committed volunteer for hospice for more than 40 years, 15 years of which were dedicated to the respite house.
Born on August 9,1926, in Hannibal, Mo., to Thomas and Lorraine, Ken and his brother, Thomas Jr., grew up surrounded by love. Reading Mark Twain was a lifelong passion that Ken loved to share, in part, because of their common roots in Hannibal.
The family moved to Philadelphia when Ken was a young boy. He became an Eagle Scout as part of Troop 1, the first Boy Scout troop in America. It was in Philadelphia, on a blind date, that he met his first wife, Barbara, while home on leave from the U.S. Army. Ken was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He was so determined to become a paratrooper that he memorized the eye chart so he could pass the eye exam without his glasses, which would have disqualified him from jumping out of airplanes. Married for 18 years, Ken and Barbara had three daughters, Gwen Simpkins, Leigh Hometh and Beth Kuntz.
Both he and his wife were gifted athletes and won dance and roller-skating competitions and took up skiing, which remained a favorite pastime throughout his life. He skied until he was 94, regularly meeting friends at Smugglers’ Notch for breakfast and a morning on the slopes. He sailed on Lake Champlain well into his eighties and hiked many trails in the Burlington area. Ken completed a major portion of the Appalachian Trail after his retirement at the age of 70.
A lover of people, with charm and wit and blessed with good looks, Ken discovered that he enjoyed and was adept at sales at an early age. From high school forays, selling correspondence courses to factory workers to better their job prospects, to early years spent as a traveling salesman in rural Pennsylvania and finally to his ultimate career in the textile business, he traveled the world, eventually living in Italy for a long stretch in the 1970s. It was in Italy that he met his wife Cherifa, with whom he spent 53 happy years.
Ken had a long heritage steeped in Unitarianism and transcendental thought. He was a founder of a Unitarian Fellowship in Westfield, N.J., in the ’60s and remained active in the Unitarian Church in Burlington until his passing.
In addition to his daughters and wife, Ken was a grandfather to William Simpkins, Greer Simpkins, Ryan Hometh, Naomi Kuntz and Jonah Kuntz. His great-granddaughter, Ginevra Epstein, was a joy to him. He had a very close relationship with his sons-in-law, Marshall Simpkins and Kerry Kuntz. He was a wonderful uncle to his niece, Sharon Marsden, her husband, Bill, and their son, Christopher. Ken was blessed to have many true friends. Jesse Taylor and Bill West stayed by his side for the last days of his life. His friend of 30 years, Ted Boniface, wrote that Ken was “a man of calmness, compassion, peacefulness, intelligence, wisdom and a wonderful sense of humor to season the picture.” His granddaughter Naomi wrote, “I don’t know anyone who embodies positivity, optimism or joy nearly as much as you.” That optimism lasted ’til the end: “I love my life, and I hate to leave, but I’m excited for the adventure and to see what it’s all about,” were among the last thoughts he shared.
There will be a celebration of Ken’s life on June 7, 2025, with details to follow. Memorial donations can be made to McClure Miller Respite House, 1110 Prim Rd., Colchester, VT 05446 or to the University of Vermont Home Health & Hospice.
This article appears in Love & Marriage Issue 2025.
Ken and I had a minor fender-bender a few years ago in South Burlington.
It can be said that we “met by accident.” I won’t go into detail, but just knowing
this WW2, D-Day veteran is an honor regardless of my “injured” Toyota.
Ken radiated goodness!
My sympathies to his wife, and all who knew him and loved him.
–Ben
Ken had many pictures of the hundreds of parachuters he was flying among. Truly a brave man. I believe he was 17 when he entered the service. Very proud to have known him.
Mr. Swearingen is the father of my lifelong friend Leigh, since we were 11. I grew up in a large family and my father was ill. I spent many many weekends with the family, even thought divorced Mr. Swearingen was a present father, always included me in camping trips, skiing trips and sightseeing trips in NYC. He was one of the few people that always asked after my father and he was very kind to me. I will never forget him. RIP