Margaret Ellen (Henry) Swick (89), formerly of Rig, WV, passed away peacefully on November 21, 2024, at her daughter’s home in Martinsburg, WV. Born on February 2, 1935, she was the daughter of the late William Franklin Henry and Blanche Diane (Simmons) Henry. Margaret’s life journey was that of a true caregiver, having lost her father at the age of 9 and being the oldest sibling to 5 younger brothers and sisters. Her devotion to taking care of those around her followed her all of her days.
Margaret was the loving wife of 71 years to Junior (Chick) Swick, who predeceased her in January 2023. She is survived by her children Barbara Hawkins of Martinsburg, WV and Rick Swick (Linda Anselmi) of Martinsburg, WV. Margaret was the grandmother (aka “Mamaw”) of Kimberly (Bradley) Heishman of Martinsburg, WV, Amy (Dusty) Fineagan of Bel Air, MD, and Melanie Hawkins (Vince Mui) of Frederick, MD. She was great-grandmother to Logan Heishman, currently serving in the U.S. Army. Margaret is also survived by 2 sisters and 1 brother. A son-in-law, Thomas Hawkins, also preceded her in death.
Margaret’s professional life was marked by various adventures including as an administrative assistant for USF&G Insurance in Baltimore in the 1960’s and with various departments and doctor’s offices at Grant Memorial Hospital in Petersburg from the late 1970’s until her retirement. She was a long-time member of the Oakdale Christian Church in Rig.
One of Margaret’s passions was cooking for family and friends and hosting holiday gatherings and Sunday dinners. Her food seemed to disappear quickly at family reunions, and she was a master at packing a picnic basket, making sure everyone had all the special items they liked. Margaret and Chick also enjoyed bowling leagues and frequently traveled to compete in their younger years. In more recent years, she enjoyed reading books, puzzling, and was not keen on missing her CBS soaps or Survivor. One of her cherished annual activities was loading everyone into the car in the early morning hours after Thanksgiving for a trip to Cumberland for some holiday shopping. She would always stop for a bite to eat when any of the granddaughters would proclaim “their tummy was hungry”. She liked to recall this memory even in recent years. She and Chick also fondly recalled visiting Ft. McHenry with the family on weekends when they lived in Baltimore.
Aside from the time the family lived in Baltimore in the 1960s and 1970’s, Margaret and Chick otherwise spent most of their years in Rig at her family’s modest home. For the past two years, she resided with her daughter Barbara in Martinsburg, WV with frequent visits from son Rick and daughter-in-law Linda, and granddaughter Kim and husband Brad, who all live close by and she was grateful for their care and companionship.
The family would like to thank the nurses and assistants with Hospice of the Panhandle for their compassionate care of Margaret throughout her illnesses and in her final days.
Funeral Services will be conducted 2:00PM Wednesday, November 27, 2024, at the Fraley Funeral Home Chapel, 107 Washington Street with Pastor Lynn Rohrbaugh officiant. Interment will follow in the Newhouse Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 12:00PM (noon) until the time of the service.
Memorials may be directed to the charity of donor’s choice. To offer condolences, share memories, or upload photos in honor of Margaret’s extraordinary life, visit her Tribute Wall at www.fraleyfuneralhome.com and celebrate the impact she made on all those around her.
Today I embarked on a new journey and joined my loved ones that have gone before me. “My home is in heaven; I am just traveling through this world”. – Billy Graham
