Maydean Swoboda

May 3, 1924 - March 23, 2022

Maydean Swoboda, 97, passed away on March 23, 2022, at Oakley Place of Rossville. Family and friends who have felt the love and compassion of this “simple Kansas girl” mourn her loss. Maydean was born in Clifton, Kansas, to John and Margaret Knoettgen on May 3,1924, the youngest of seven, born a “blue baby” 15 minutes after her twin brother, Joe. She was taught at a young age the value of hard work, tenacity (sometimes known among her German family as “stubbornness”) and a deeply rooted religious belief. Her farming family was deeply affected by the Dust Bowl and Great Depression - her father having to sell many acres of his land in order to pay his bills - but living on a farm, “we always had plenty to eat and clothes on our back.” Maydean’s dad was a very loving father who would “keep records on everything,” which inspired Maydean in her future career in bookkeeping and accounting, as well as her meticulous record-keeping. Her mother was more stern but taught Maydean the power of “keeping up with the men” in the fields and in life. In high school, Maydean’s nickname was “Bughouse - because I had lots of curly hair and it was always kind of ‘poufed up." She was salutatorian of her Clifton High School graduating class in 1942. Maydean met Roy Swoboda at the “Wednesday outdoor movies and dances” in Morganville, Kansas, and was literally swept off her feet by his jitterbug skills and sharp dressing. Wartime interrupted their courtship, but after his return from World War II, they wed on January 19, 1946, in San Diego, California. After a stint in Indianapolis, Indiana, where Roy attended and graduated from the Lincoln Chiropractic College, they returned to Kansas. Settling in Topeka, Roy began his chiropractic practice and there they raised their daughter and three sons. Maydean’s chores and farm work from childhood transitioned into her paid work career starting at age 17, when she began work at the local Clifton telephone office as a switchboard operator (“Number, please…”) and movie theatre (“where I made the popcorn”) for “$0.15 an hour.” During wartime, she did shift work (“one week the day shift, the next week the evening, and the third week the overnight shift”) at the Remington Arms Defense Plant in Salt Lake City, Utah. She began her federal service career in Topeka in January of 1944, first at the Air Force Supply Depot, followed by the East Port Orchard War Housing in Bremerton, Washington and the Fort Benjamin Harrison Army Finance Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. She returned to the Supply Depot in Topeka, then the Forbes Air Force Base, and finally the 190th Air National Guard Base, where she retired after a 36-year career. Maydean’s dreams as a young girl on the farm were simple ones - “get married, have children, and have a happy life” - and these were ones she attained. Maydean will be remembered by many for her love of gardening and travel, her great cooking and baking, her organized and thrifty nature, her enjoyment of “something sweet” (before, during, after - or between meals), her ready smile and giggle, and her devotion to her family. Not someone to tell a person what to do, but always there to give support and listen lovingly when asked, the closest to her giving advice was to “tell people you love them; spend time with them; treat people fairly, like you’d want to be treated; and don’t put off ‘til tomorrow what you want to do — life is too short.” She set few boundaries for her children other than to follow their callings and interests in life. In tribute to her, the family hopes you will carry her wisdom and compassion with you. Maydean was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Roy, and all her siblings. Thirteen years after Roy’s death, she began a friendship with fellow White Lakes walker Paul Moran, which developed over coffee into a “very great relationship.” He also preceded her in death. Maydean is survived by her children, Deidre Michael (Harold) of Silver Lake, Kansas, Tegan Swoboda (Cindy) of Topeka, Kansas, Seth Swoboda (Joe Anarella) of Albany, New York, and Shad Swoboda of Kansas City, Missouri, as well as grandchildren, Megan Hewitt (Rich), Shanna Martin (John), Sarah Barkemeyer (Scott), Michael Swoboda (Olivia), and great-grandchildren, Eleanor, Ryan, Jonah, Kate, Charlie, and Miles. She was a member of the Church of The Assumption/Mater Dei Assumption Catholic Church in Topeka from 1954 to the present. The family thanks the dedicated staff at Oakley Place of Rossville and the Midland Palliative and Hospice teams for their loving care and support in the past eleven months. The rosary will be prayed at 5 p.m. Monday, March 28th, at Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 SW Urish Road, Topeka KS 66614, with visitation to follow until 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 29th, at Mater Dei Holy Name Catholic Church, 1114 SW 10th Avenue, Topeka KS 66604. The service will be live streamed on the Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home Facebook page. The family invites you to join the service by going to the funeral home Facebook page and scrolling to Videos where the live video will be active prior to 10 a.m. http://www.facebook.com/Kevin-Brennan-Family-Funeral-Home-116876148342762 In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes memorial contributions to either Midland Hospice Palliative Care, 300 SW Frazier Circle, Topeka KS 66606 or Mater Dei Assumption Church (for the Bell Tower Project), 911 SW Clay, Topeka KS 66606. Please take time to celebrate the life of Maydean Swoboda by viewing this video https://youtu.be/iaxbEjbMv3c Condolences may be sent online to www.kevinbrennanfamily.com.