Joseph Swails Sr.

Joseph Lee Swails Sr., beloved, husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather and friend, passed away at home on Sept. 2, 2011.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, at The Christian and Baptist Church in Mouontain Home under the direction of Rost Funeral Home. Burial to follow with military honors at Mountain View Cemetary. There will be a viewing on Friday from 5-7 p.m. at McMurtry Chapel.

Joe was born on Feb. 25, 1934, in Enigma (Barren County), Ga., to Lola Mae (Duggan) and Edward Swails.

He lived in Florida where he met the love of his life, Gloria Urgo. They were married June 26, 1954, after he returned from his Army time in Korea.

They moved to Key West, Fla., where their daughter, Kathleen, was born.

They traveled west to Salt Lake City where he went to work for Safeway Stores. The company transferred him to Burley, Idaho, where their son, Joe Jr., was born. Then the company transferred him to Mountain Home to open the new Safeway Store where he was meat department manager. He was with Safeway for 22 years.

He and his son started a construction company, "Ark Construction," which they worked together for 16 years.

When Joe Jr. married an Air Force sergeant they were transfered to Guam, so Joe Sr. (at the age of 60) got his CD. and became a long-distant truck driver. He worked for Willis Shaw Trucking Co. for 11 years.

He retired in 2005 to care for Gloria.

He loved to garden and to share the products of his labor with the members of his church. He was a member of The Christian and Baptist Church for 38 years, where he served as deacon, chairman of the trustees and moderator of the board. He loved Pastor Gary Allen and his church family. He believed that you entered church to worship and you exited church to serve.

He was also always willing to help Gloria with her flower shop, Flowers Galore, which they ran for 35 years.

Survivors include his wife, Gloria, daughter Kathy (Joe) Ferbrache of Mountain Home, Joe Jr. of Fairbanks, Alaska, brothers Jimmy (Brenda) Swails of Versailles, Ky., Clarence Swails of St. Petersburg, Fla., his sister, Selma Paulk, of Ocilla, Ga., two sister-in-laws, Geneva Hayman of Albany, Ga., and Florence Urgo Ianniello of Tampa, Fla., his grandchildren, Dust'an (Adam) Whytock, Kristen Swails, Jered (Victoria) Ferbrache and Abrie Ferbrache, three great-grandchildren, Jadelynn Clucas, Ashton Whytcok and Kirsten Ferbrache, eight nieces and five nephews. He loved them all.

He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Clyde, Claudius and Cleveland Swails.

Memorial contributions may be given to The Christian and Baptist Church building fund, 265 N. 4th East St., Mountain Home, ID 83647.

The family wishes to thank the Accent Hospice care givers, Tiffany Mederos and Erica Mulberry, for their kind and gentle care.