Meredith Macel Swanton

Meredith Macel (Hopson) Swanton, age 73, of Goose Lake, Iowa, passed away surrounded by her loving family on Wednesday, December 28, 2011, at the Alverno Care Facility, Clinton, Iowa, after a long battle with cancer. Visitation will be held from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 30, 2011, at the Assumption Catholic Church in Charlotte, Iowa, with a Rosary Service to be held at 5:00 p.m. Visitation will also be held from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. prior to mass on Saturday. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 31, 2011, also at Assumption Catholic Church in Charlotte. Burial will follow in the Charlotte Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the University of Iowa Hospital Cancer Research.
Meredith was born October 11, 1938, in Iowa City, Iowa, the daughter of John and Macel (Rockwell) Hopson. She graduated from Maquoketa High School with the Class of 1956 as Valedictorian. After high school, she worked as a telephone operator in Maquoketa. Meredith married Maurice Kenneth Swanton on June 6, 1959, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Maquoketa.
Meredith was a homemaker who truly enjoyed taking care of her family. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Family and faith meant everything to her. She shared her faith by teaching catechism, belonging to Altar & Rosary, serving on church circles, and being a eucharistic minister at Assumption Catholic Church. Meredith was also a member of the Red Hat Society, the Secretary for the FFA Alumni, President of the Clinton County Cowbells and received the Iowa Cow Gal of the Year Award. She also was Treasurer for the Christian Women’s Society.
Meredith found out she had breast cancer at the age of 58. She underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. She had many good years until the cancer was discovered again in 2008. The last four months she spent at the Alverno Health Care Facility.
Meredith is survived by her husband Ken Swanton of Goose Lake, Iowa; four sons and one daughter, David (Penny) Swanton of Goose Lake, Sandy (Dennis) Hart of Camanche, Iowa, Joe (Teri) Swanton of Goose Lake, Steve (Heidi) Swanton of Wentzville, Missouri, and Don (Terri) Swanton of Goose Lake; 18 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; one brother, Dwight (Lynne) Hopson of Maquoketa, Iowa; one sister, Shirley (Tom) Feller of Maquoketa; two sisters – in – law, Darlene (Gerald) Koch of Clarksville, Tennessee, and Marge (Carlton) Hartford of Newton, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.
Meredith was preceded in death by her parents and a baby brother.