Orville "Red" Swager 91 of Amery, WI passed away Thursday March 31 at Amery Hospital. Orville was born July 1 1924 near Clayton, WI, the son of Harry and Myrtle (Lewis) Swager. He grew up in the Clayton/Range area, working on farms, the pickle factory in Amery and planting trees for the county forests. Early in the 1950's he moved with his parents to a farm outside of Balsam Lake.
In 1956, he met Hazel Raska and they were married Dec 1, 1956. To this union one child (Charlene) was born. At this time he was employed at the Amery Telephone Co as a lineman, staying there 20 plus years until his retirement. Orville remained on the farm after the passing of his parents as well as his wife Hazel. In 2011 he moved in with Charlene at her home near Frederic. He was there until a stroke in Aug 2015 forced him into Golden Age Manor in Amery.
Orville liked hunting, fishing, dancing and gardening. He was known for having tomatoes at the farmers markets.
Orville is preceded in death by his parents, and wife Hazel, as well at one sister Olive (Mewes) and four brothers, Richard, Harold, Leslie and Bernard.
He is survived by his daughter Charlene (Roland) Rogers of Frederic, Granddaughter Jennifer (Jeffrey) Jensen of Watford City N.D. Grandson Donald (Stacey) Rogers of Menomonie, WI, and Great Grandson Evan of Watford City N.D. He is also survived by one sister Ida Stauner of Amery and one brother Clifford Swager of Clayton.
Services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday April 2, 2016 at Williamson - White Funeral Home in Amery. There will be a visitation 1 hour prior to services at the funeral home. Interment will be at the Amery Cemetery.