Marjorie Swan

Marjorie Bernice Sample Loberg Swan, 100, of Pocahontas, died Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023, at Villas of Jackson, where she resided the past several months.

She was born May 16, 1923, to William Rudolph and Reva Niswonger Sample, on her grandparents' farm, near the communities of Patton and Sedgewickville in Bollinger County, Missouri.

Marjorie was a graduate of Sedgewickville High School and Cape Girardeau School of Cosmetology. She later attended Southeast Missouri State University.

She married Sgt. Denver C. Loberg in 1940 and they lived in Sedgewickville, St. Louis and Washington Courthouse, Ohio. U.S. Army Air Corps Sgt. Loberg was killed in action on Christmas Eve of 1944, at the height of World War II in Europe.

With two small daughters, Vida and Tina Loberg, in tow, Marjorie came back to Bollinger County and moved in with her parents on the family farm, working briefly in cosmetology after her training.

Marjorie Swan

Marjorie Swan

On Oct. 6, 1946, Marjorie married Norman R. Swan at St. John's Lutheran Church in Pocahontas. Norman decided to sit in church on Sunday mornings with his new wife and two young daughters, forever changing the long tradition of men on one side of the sanctuary and women and children on the other. Norman and Marjorie were active members of the church, serving in various leadership roles. She remained a member for 77 years.

Three more children came along -- Norman R. "Sam" Swan Jr., William Reginald "Reg" Swan and Nina C. Swan.

In 1950, Marjorie was asked to be a project leader in Pocahontas 4-H Club. She accepted the role because she foresaw the many benefits and opportunities 4-H would bring to her children. She later became the 4-H club leader, serving for many decades in that role. Some of her "4-Hers" were selected to attend the National 4-H Congress in Chicago as Missouri state competition winners. Others became State 4-H Council officers and International Farm Youth Exchange (lFYE) delegates to other countries. As a result of her efforts, the Pocahontas 4-H Club was recognized as one of the best in Missouri. Marjorie received the prestigious Naomi Crouch 4-H Leadership Award and was inducted into the Missouri 4-H Hall of Fame in 2009. She took great joy in the accomplishments of her many 4-H members.

Marjorie also believed in higher education and encouraged all her children and grandchildren to attend a university. She took great pleasure in all the degrees earned by her family.

Marjorie was happiest when her home was filled to the brim with her large family at holidays. She loved going to garage sales and always had an eclectic collection of "treasures" she delighted in sharing with every member of her family as "special" Christmas gifts. She also loved gardening, canning and freezing her produce each summer and enjoyed scrapbooking and quilting. Another passion was genealogy. She co-authored a book on the Conrad Family.

Marjorie was a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and dearly loved her country. She was very civic minded and served as an election worker and census taker for many years. In her later years, she enjoyed traveling with her daughters and granddaughter to Europe, especially to Ireland.

Marjorie is survived by her four other children and their spouses: Tina (Art) Druckenmiller of Atlanta, Dr. Norman R "Sam" (Sheriann) Swan,Jr. of Knoxville, Tennessee, William Reginald "Reg" (Kathy) Swan of Cape Girardeau and Nina Swan Kohler and husband Ronald Kohler of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is also survived by her former son-in-law, John R. Stanard of Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

Also surviving are nine grandchildren: Michael (Jennifer) Stanard, Christina Stanard (Scott Maass) Vogel, Richard (Theresa) Druckenmiller, David (Jennifer) Druckenmiller, Elizabeth Druckenmiller (Dustin) Frantz, Leslie Swan (Stephen) Podrasky, Nicholas Swan, Regan Swan and Maria Swan Childress; and 13 great-grandchildren: Connor Druckenmiller, Rachel Druckenmiller, Audrey Stanard, Will Vogel, Grace Vogel, Hope Druckenmiller, Anna Druckenmiller Rush, Andrew Druckenmiller, Madeline Frantz, Caroline Frantz, Sonnie Childress, Sydney Podrasky and William Tripp Swan.

Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Denver Loberg in 1944; husband, Norman R. Swan in 1984; three brothers and sisters-in-law, Gene (Ruth) Sample, George (Jackie) Sample, and Roger William (Maria) Sample, her sister, Shirley (Lloyd) Young; and her beloved daughter, Vida Loberg Stanard.

The family will greet friends at a visitation from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Pocahontas.

The Rev. Steven Theiss will conduct a life celebration ceremony at 2:30 p.m.,Sunday, Aug. 6, at the church. Interment will follow at the church cemetery, where Marjorie will be laid to rest beside her husband, Norman.

Arrangements by McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

The family requests memorials take the form of contributions to the Missouri 4-H Foundation, 109 Whitten Hall, Columbia, MO 65201, or online at extension.missouri.edulprograms/missouri-4-h-foundation.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by clicking on the tribute wall tab above Marjorie's obituary article at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.