William C. Swinney

William “Bill” C. Swinney, 75, Topeka, Kansas went to be with his Lord and Savior for eternity on October 9, 2022, at McCrite Health Center after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Bill was born February 17, 1947, in Davenport, Iowa to Charles A. and Ruth B. Taber Swinney. The Swinney family moved to Valley Center, Kansas in 1957. Bill was a 1965 graduate of Valley Center High School. Bill was a Boy Scout and attended Camp TaWaKoNi several years near Augusta, Kansas. He participated in a camping expedition to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Silver Cliff, Colorado. He was the only scout in his troop who earned a rifle marksmanship merit badge. Bill attended Kansas State University. While there he participated as a member of the varsity crew rowing team as well as Kansas State Players, a drama group. Bill graduated from Kansas State University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education. Bill taught school at Chapman High School until 1975 at which time he completed a Master’s of Science Degree in Secondary Guidance Counseling. He met his best friend, Barbara A. Hays during summer school at KSU in 1974. On July 26, 1975, he married Barbara. He was a guidance counselor at Valley Falls High School for two years. He taught English at Jefferson West High School in Meriden, Kansas from 1977 until 2002 during which time he coordinated a work-study program. During this time, he also completed a Master’s of Science in Secondary Education Administration. During his high school teaching experience, Bill was a Kansas Master Teacher nominee in 1984, presented at writing skills and creativity conferences and was presented an outstanding writing teacher award in 1991. He was co-founder in 1996 of the Richard G. Hause creativity lecture series at Kansas State University. He served on the North Central accreditation evaluation team for Elwood, Kansas. From July 2002 until March 2012, he served as a career/academic advisor at Allen Community College. Bill participated in leadership summits in Washington, D.C., educational leadership colloquiums, Kansas campus compact institutes and was named to the Kansas campus compact task force, participating in composing the original proposal which established the Kansas Council for Workforce education and served on the Board of Directors. Bill enjoyed serving his community. He served as a Boy Scout leader in Abilene, Kansas. He also served as a deacon at several churches and as an interim pastor at Trinity Baptist Church. He was a member of First Southern Baptist Church in Topeka. Bill is survived by his wife, Barbara; daughters, Tiffany Sejas (Jose) and Bethany Cox (Derek); his beloved grandson, Hudson M. Cox, and a second Cox grandchild due in 2023; as well as loving mother-in-law, Virginia L. Hays. His son Scott also survives. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Barbara Robel (Raydon). Visitation will be 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, October 14, 2022, at Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 SW Urish Road, Topeka KS 66614. Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Saturday, October 15, 2022, at the funeral home. Burial to follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to BoysTown at support.boystown.org. Condolences may be sent online to www.kevinbrennanfamily.com.

William C. Swinney

February 17, 1947 - October 9, 2022