Peggy Lou Crosier (Swigert) Ketler was born the third child of Orvile
and Grace Crosier in Hot Springs, SD on January 14, 1935. She left this
earth on January 28, 2023, at the age of 88 years and 2 weeks.
As a child, Peggy lived with her parents and siblings in Buffalo Gap and
Oral, South Dakota. A favorite memory that she often shared was eating
watermelons that they had grown on the farm. She graduated from Hot
Springs South Dakota High School in 1953. Peggy went on to Spearfish SD
and received her teaching certificate, but put her career on hold when
she met a dashing young farmer named Don Swigert from Oelrichs, SD. Don
and Peggy were married on March 18, 1955. To this union, three children
were born, Helen Louise (Swigert) McSwain, Robert Donald Swigert, and
Tammy Colleen (Swigert) Showers.
As the children grew, Peggy
became a dedicated 4-H leader, and saw many children in Fall River
County win ribbons at the County Fair in Edgemont, SD for cooking,
sewing, beef, and gardening. When her children were older, Peggy went
back to school at Chadron State College and received her Bachelor’s
Degree in Elementary Education. She then served the Oelrichs School
System by teaching the rural Pettigrew and Thompson Schools. She loved
teaching and seeing children’s light bulbs turn on when they understood a
concept.
Don passed away in the summer of 1977. After a few
years of being single, Peggy met and married Garry Ray Ketler from
Benkelman NE. They were married in Saint Francis, Kansas, January23,
1984. Peggy and Garry both furthered their education in Health Care.
Peggy became a Registered Nurse, and committed her life to caring for
others. She worked at hospitals in Benkelman and Saint Francis, KS; was a
home health nurse in Goodland, KS, and an RN at Centennial Nursing Home
in Greeley, CO. She retired from nursing at the ripe age of 77.
After retirement Garry and Peggy moved to Benkelman, NE. There they
were surrounded by friends and family. As a couple, Garry and Peggy
loved to have fun. In earlier years they went dancing and to the
mountains in Black Hawk and Cripple Creek Colorado. Peggy also loved to
play scratch tickets. And she laughed at all of Garry’s jokes.
Peggy is preceded in death by her parents, Orvile and Grace Crosier;
husbands, Donald B. Swigert and Garry R. Ketler; grandson Heath Swigert;
granddaughter, Kristi Lutz; brother and sister-in law, Larry and Marta
Ketler; and sisters, Patricia K. (Crosier) Elston and Susanna J.
(Crosier) Greenwood.
Peggy is survived by her children, Helen
of Benkelman, NE; son, Robert of Benkelman, NE; and daughter, Tammy of
Council Bluffs, IA; brother, Bert Crosier of Rock River, WY; sister,
Judy Hackmann of Virginia Beach, VA; sister-in law, Lana (Rod) Wiese of
Benkelman; and grandchildren, Travis Lutz (Pam) of rural Parks, NE, Nick
Tanner Lutz-Gensler (Ryan) of Aurora, CO, Alishia (Roy) Shapley and
Emilee Swigert of Benkelman, NE, Jesse (Renee) Corbin and Shawn (Brandy)
of Arnold, NE, Bobby and Hunter Will of Council Bluffs, IA; 20 great
grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren. Also left to mourn are
her nephew and niece, Kirk and Kara Ketler of Pennsylvania.
Peggy chose cremation and will be inurned with Garry at Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell, NE.
Online obituary and condolences may be left at liewerfuneralhome.com.