Theresa Maxine Swinderman

Theresa Swinderman, 97, of Keokuk, Iowa, passed away at River Hills Village, Keokuk surrounded by her family on October 28, 2026

     Theresa was born in Keokuk, Iowa on June 22, 1929, to Charles M. and Catherine E (Weirather) Hagmeier. Theresa grew up on the family farm, the oldest of four brothers and three sisters.  In the mid-1940’s, the Keokuk Airport was being built across the road and Theresa ran a kitchen out of a trailer on the property for the construction crew.

     Theresa attended Summitville School and Keokuk Senior High with the class of 1947.  On November 15, 1948, she married Donald W. Swinderman in Keokuk.  He preceded her in death on June 15, 1999, after 50 years of marriage. 

     She was a faithful Catholic her entire life, attending St Mary’s Catholic Church until it’s closure and then All Saints Parish.  Theresa was an active homemaker, preserving food from their large garden, sewing clothes for her growing family, helping the girls with their 4-H projects, working with the PTA, and following the boys in little league, then through high school sports.  Family and friends were always impressed by her steel trap mind as she recalled dates, names, and card game rules with no trouble, “Go ask Theresa” was the solution to any question.

     Theresa will always be remembered for all of the cross-stitch pictures and Christmas tree ornaments she made and gifted to her family as well as the wood puzzles and toys she and Donald made in their workshop.

     Theresa loved bowling and was in a Tuesday morning league and Thursday night league, as well as coaching the junior bowlers on Saturday morning.  She had a life-time love of sports and was a huge fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Keokuk Chiefs, and had a life-long love of the Chicago Cubs. It was thrilling to watch her as she watched her Cubs win the World Series in 2016.  Also, in 2016, Theresa was selected as the Keokuk Chiefs Biggest Fan and was awarded a certificate at the Iowa State Basketball Tournament in Des Moines.

     Theresa is survived by her children Diana (David) Kraus of Keokuk, Rita (George) Kinkeade of Revere, Missouri, David (Karen) Swinderman of Keokuk, Mark (Lorna) Swinderman of Hamilton, Illinois, and Roger (Diana) Swinderman of  Canon City, Colorado, her sisters Ann Stigall of Keokuk, and Mary (Julie) Simeoni of Elmhurst, Illinois, fourteen grandchildren Dr. Ryan Foulkes (Christopher Fleming) of Iowa City, Corey Kraus of Keokuk, Gretchen Haage (Kevin Koch) of Montrose, Amy (Jeremy) Leisenring, and Tina Haage of Keokuk, Justin (Samantha) Swinderman of Ft. Madison, Christina (Matt) Englund of Keokuk, Megan Walton of Ft. Madison, Joshua (Theresa) Swinderman of Hamilton, Illinois, Amanda (Andrew) Zaboni of Spring Hill, Florida, Emilee (Brent) Reneau of Hamilton, Michael P. (Aimee) Swinderman of Carthage, Illinois, Michelle Swinderman and Michael E. Swinderman of Canon City, Colorado, her step-grandchildren Tami Elder (David Hanan) of Keokuk, Tatia Davis (Michael Hornung) of Hamilton, Illinois, Lisa (Michael) Johnson, and Michael Kraus of Keokuk, Jeremy Hamelton, and Elizabeth (Seth) Anderson of Keokuk.  She is also survived by thirty-four great grandchildren, twenty-five great-great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

     Besides her husband, Donald, she was preceded in death by one great grandchild Larry Johnson of Keokuk, four brothers Robert Hagmeier and wife Evelyn of Salina, Kansas, Raymond Hagmeier of Fayetteville, North Carolina, John Hagmeier and wives Joyce and Mary Lou of West Liberty, Iowa, Joseph Hagmeier of Mesquite, Nevada, and one sister Geraldine and husband Richard E. Myers of O’Fallon, Missouri.  She was also preceded by in-laws, Fred Simeoni of Elmhurst, Illinois, Toby Stigall of Keokuk, Francis and wife Myra Swinderman of Salinas, California, Harold and wife Eleanor Swinderman of Keokuk, and Gene (Marge) Swinderman of Davenport, Iowa, Lois and husband Wayne Fruehling of Ames, Iowa, Evelyn and husband Earl Runge of Alamo, Texas, Colleen Leckbee of Ft. Madison, grandson-in-law Michael Haage. and thirteen nieces and nephews.

     A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday at All Saints Parish in Keokuk with Father Hai Dinh officiating.  Burial will be in the Keokuk National Cemetery.

     Visitation will be held from 6:00 -8:00 p.m., Sunday at Vigen Memorial Home in Keokuk with family meeting with friends at that time.  A rosary vigil will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
      Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or to All Saints Parish in Keokuk.

     The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to River Hills Village and Lee County Hospice for the compassionate care and kindness shown to Theresa throughout her stay.

     Online condolences may be left for the family at www.vigenmemorialhome.com