William "Ed" Swim

William “Ed” Swim, 88, of Des Moines, Iowa passed away peacefully in his sleep on February 6, 2022.

He was born to Gerald and Josephine Swim on November 21, 1933 in Des Moines, Iowa. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Margaret; his brother, Dick; his brother, Dennis (Phillis); his four children, Janyce (Kevin), Kathy (Paul), Eddie (Sherrill), and Jerry (Darla); 20 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gerald and Josephine; his brother, Jerry; his sister, Anna; and his son, David (Jodi).

Ed graduated from East High School in January 1952 and enlisted in the Navy that same year. He served four years during the Korean War and returned on St. Patrick’s Day in 1956. His time in the Navy shaped his love for tradition and history that continued throughout his life. It was in the Navy that he taught himself to play guitar, which led to a life rich in music and admiration for great artists such as Leon Redbone, Gene Autry, Chet Atkins, and Jimmie Rodgers.

After the Navy, he went to work as a sheet metal worker and a member of Local 45, with his sons following in his footsteps. Beyond the hard work and pride he put into his craft, Ed was a student of life, a professor of mechanics, a philosopher of human nature, and an impressive historian. He loved camping, fishing (both in the water and on the ice), visiting his many family and friends, and his many hobbies that included CB radios and listening to police scanners. He had an extensive knowledge of the history of coal mines in Iowa and the country, and his continued pursuit of knowledge throughout his life led many who knew him to admire and seek his advice and wisdom.

Ed was a legendary storyteller and practical jokester. He reveled in the ridiculous and absurd, and delivered a story with the same timing perfection as the great comedians of our time. He could leave his captive audience in tears, still laughing with the memory of it years later.

He was a devout Catholic, read the Bible every day, and prayed with his wife every night. He was a hard-working, loyal, gracious, deeply funny, intelligent presence for those who knew him; which is too many to mention, and whose lives are richer for having known him.

Visitation will be held from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday, February 13, 2022 at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street, Des Moines. Funeral service will be held on Monday, February 14, 2022 at St. Anthony Catholic Church, 15 Indianola Road, Des Moines, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Des Moines. The service may be attended virtually at: www.stanthonydsm.org

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