Paul Swick, the son of LeRoy and Betty (Slay) Swick, was born on Sunday, December 2, 1956. He graduated from Oskaloosa High School with the class of 1975 and then graduated from William Penn College in 1981. He was married in 1988 and later divorced. To that union were born Whitney and Collin Swick.
Paul always loved people, had a BIG heart and at the same time, he was a “stinker” and full of fun, even at a young age.
Mom was a champion Angel Food Cake baker!! She loved telling this story about how Paul, climbed up on a chair next to her, after taking the cake out of the oven, and said, “what you doing mom?” Mom replied, “Making an Angel Food cake, why?” Paul said, with a smirk on his face, “I put my toenail in the cake.” Mom was so angry and said, “Did you REALLY do that?”, to which Paul laughed and said “Yep!” She looked at the cake and there floating on top of the cake was that toenail!! Mom threw that cake out and started over again.
Paul has always loved music. Mom’s first memory of this was when she was playing music while cleaning the house and Paul was tapping his foot, in perfect time to the music, in his crib as a baby!
Paul DID follow his love for music. He was in band, choir and several play productions in high school. He started his music education at Penn College, graduated in 1981 and started his teaching career that Fall, as a band teacher, in Boyden/Hull Iowa. He moved to Adrian, Minnesota to continue his teaching. While at Penn, several of his music buddies started their own band, “Visions,” and played throughout their college years.
After teaching, he still wanted to work with children so got his degree and became a Christian Educator at his local church and at the end of his years, drove school bus when he moved back to Oskaloosa.
He loved camping with his mini dachshund, Chloe. They enjoyed many hours around the campfire. He LOVED the smell of burning logs!!!
A favorite weekend activity around Paul was sports, sports and more sports!!! Hawkeyes, Iowa State, Indiana Fever, golf, Nascar and ALL NBA!!! All of us were screaming for our teams and telling the refs just how bad they were. FUN TIMES and tons of memories with those times.
Paul also loved working with wood. He did many framed Scripture verses. He also gave graduation gifts to the students he taught, with their name on the framed piece. He carved each letter individually and glued them to the board, sanded it, and stained each one. He even made a big sign for Lake Keomah. All these done with love.
Paul loved “giving.” He would take donuts to the gals at State Farm and others. I never could figure this one out, he took donuts to his dental appointments to share with Doug and the staff! Goes to get his teeth fixed, yet shares donuts!! Go figure!!
Paul’s number one love was his love for his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He would buy these little rubber images of Jesus that he would hand out at the hospital, clinics and in the chemo infusion center. He would call this “planting his seeds for Christ.” He would tell the cancer patients to put him in their pocket and know whenever they needed Him, call on Him and He would be there. Every time he gave one to a cancer patient having chemo, they would smile, say “AMEN” and hold that little Jesus tight in their hand. Little touches, little seeds planted and a lifetime of memories.
Paul is survived by his two sisters: Cindy Conte and Peggy (Terry) Dykstra, two children and four grandchildren.
Funeral services for Paul will be Monday, September 28, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel, with Pastor Mike Sereg officiating. Burial will follow at the Forest Cemetery. Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Visitation with the family will be on Sunday, September 27, 2026, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at Bates Funeral Chapel. Memorials may be made to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
