Vern Swearingen - LHS Class of 1958

Memorial services for Vernon Ray Swearingen, Jr, 75, of Lamesa, Texas, will be held on Sunday, August 28th, 2016 at 2pm at First United Methodist Church with Pastor Scott Seymour officiating. The celebration will continue immediately afterwards – with stories, song and humor – at Realty Ministries.
Vern died peacefully at his home on Thursday, August 25th, 2016 surrounded by family after a long battle with illness. 
Vern was married to Betty Lee Shopbell Swearingen (LHS Class of 1957) for over 55 years, beginning on August 6, 1961.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon Ray Sr. and Ruth (Parsons) Swearingen of Leavenworth, Kansas, brother Dale Swearingen (LHS Class of 1943) and sisters Lucille Scott (LHS Class of 1939), Meredith Jones (LHS Class of 1942), and Rita Rounda (LHS Class of 1947).
Engineer, businessman and entrepreneur, Vern enjoyed a 55-year-career which fueled travel to far-reaching corners of the world. Vern earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kansas. He began his career at General Dynamics. In 1966, the family moved to Dallas where he joined Texas Instruments (TI) and completed a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from SMU in Dallas. After 19 years with TI, Vern left the company to co-found VHL Corporation. Eight years later, he became Vice President of the Portland Business Unit at Electro Scientific Industries (ESI).  
Vern and Betty shared many moves together, including California, Texas and Oregon. They started their own business– Storyquilts – which they ran for more than 15 years together. Vern and Betty’s biggest adventure and Vern’s proudest achievement was raising their four daughters together, Stacy Leonard, Brandee Brouwer, Amy Swearingen and Rebecca Riopelle.  
Vern leaves a further legacy through his eight grandchildren, Meghan, Taylor and Caitlin Leonard, Jacob, Nick and Kylee Brouwer, Tristan Jantz and Lottie Swearingen and his five-month-old great grandson, Grayson Leonard.
In addition to his wife, children and grandchildren, Vernon is survived by sisters Joanne Chambers (LHS Class of 1950) and Lynn Weaver (LHS Class of 1961), sons-in-law Scott Leonard, Greg Brouwer and Robert Riopelle, granddaughter-in-law, Susanna Leonard and future granddaughter-in-law, Cathy Freeman. 
Vern was an active member of First United Methodist Church of Lamesa where he particularly enjoyed working with the youth through his support of the community-wide youth group, Reality, sponsored by his church. Vern was a passionate supporter of his Alma Mater’s basketball team, the Kansas Jayhawks.
In lieu of flowers, the Swearingen family suggests memorials to Reality Ministries online via fundly.com/reality-ministries or by check to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 438, Lamesa, TX 79331.