Ione M. Swearingen, 81, of Smithland, passed away Saturday, September 15, 2012 at the Pleasant View Care Center in Whiting.

Services will be held 10 am Wednesday at the United Methodist Church in Hornick with Rev. Catie Newman and Rev. Karen Handke officiating. Burial will be in Willow Township Cemetery. Visitation is 6-8 pm Tuesday at the church in Hornick. Arrangements are under the direction of Waterbury Funeral Service.

Ione was born on December 11, 1930, in Wall, South Dakota, the daughter of Arthur and Mary (Crawford) Meili. She graduated from Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebr. on May 19, 1949. Following her graduation she was united in marriage to Neal Swearingen in Valentine on the same night.

Ione was a farmwife and enjoyed gardening and growing flowers. She worked outside the home in dietary/kitchen jobs. In 1996 Ione and Neal ran their own café in Smithland. Ione loved to crochet, cane chairs and do handwork/crafts. She enjoyed playing cards, fishing and bird watching. She really enjoyed Bingo!

Ione is survived by three sons and their wives, Boyd (Connie) Swearingen of Smithland, IA, Bill (Bonnie) Swearingen of Hinton, OK, and Wayne (Jackie) Swearingen of Mapleton, IA; two daughters, Bethann (Verlyn) Bakker of Sanborn, IA, and Dona Swearingen of Moville, IA; 18 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren; one sister-in-law, Reva Thorpe of Canon City, CO.; one brother-in-law, Carl Fischer of Buena Vista, CO.; 3 cousins, Marcee (TJ) Henrie of Washington, UT, Shelia (Bob) Stabe of Altoona, WS., and Bernadene Henrie of Anchorage, AK;

Ione was preceded in death by her husband, Neal, on March 8, 2012, her parents; a son, Roger Swearingen; a daughter, Betty Robson; a great-granddaughter, Ariel Robson; her brother Darwin Meili and her sister, Lucille Ginther.