During her long and joyous life, Carolyn Frances Swank was a proponent of intellectual thought, tireless in physical activity, a seeker of spiritual connections and enthusiastically engaged in community service. She found great pleasure in bike riding, swimming, running, hiking and reading. Carolyn enjoyed traveling and reveled in “beach trips” to the North and South Carolina Coasts.
She passed away peacefully at her home on May 1, 2020. Her life is continuously celebrated by family and friends who will miss her deeply.
Carolyn was born on June 29, 1949 in Chillicothe, Ohio. She was the eldest daughter of Elwood Cook and Eleanor Cook of Chillicothe, Ohio. She graduated with honors in May of 1967 from Chillicothe High School, then attended Ohio University in Athens from where she graduated Cum Laude in May of 1971.
Carolyn married Robert Swank of Chillicothe, OH on May 23, 1970 and they followed his job to Jackson, Ohio in 1972. She began her teaching career in the Jackson County school systems in 1973 and accepted a position in the Wellston City Schools in 1979. She retired after 30 total years of service in 2008.
As a teacher, Carolyn took great pride in educating young minds and challenging students to excel at critical thinking and problem solving. Her own education continued throughout her days and yielded credentials including teaching certifications in Elementary Education, Learning disabilities and behavior disorders, Physical Education, Health & Recreation, Biological Science, Computers, Talented and Gifted, and a supervisory Talented/Gifted certification. She earned a Master of Science in Administration from the University of Dayton in 1987 and was named to the Ohio Gifted Hall of Fame for her accomplishments as an educator.
Along with being a devoted mother who attended all manner of after-school functions, Carolyn was a certified volunteer fire-person with the Liberty Township fire department, the Jackson youth summer soccer program and the Jackson High School band boosters. She was an active member and leader at Faith Lutheran Church in Jackson, Ohio serving as Council President for many years and representing her local church at the Southern Ohio Synod council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Carolyn is survived by her husband Robert; mother Eleanor Cook; siblings Deborah Graham, Michael Cook, Linda Cook and Christopher Cook and children Robin, Adam and Kevin Swank. She is further survived by many cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Per her wishes Carolyn has been cremated and her ashes scattered by her family on her property outside of Jackson, Ohio. Her Celebration of Life Service will be held at Faith Lutheran Church in Jackson, OH as soon as it can be safely scheduled. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Faith Lutheran Church.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Mayhew-Brown Funeral Home and Southern Ohio Cremation Services in Jackson.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.mayhew-brownfuneralhome.com