Louise Elizabeth (Swaney) Michael

Louise Elizabeth Swaney Michael, 89, was born in Columbia, MO on July 31, 1933, although her hometown was Clinton, MO, where she attended Clinton Public Schools, graduating from Clinton High School in 1951. She attended Central Missouri State College in Warrensburg, MO, her freshman year. As a sophomore in 1952, she transferred to Phillips University, Enid, OK, and graduated in 1955 with a B.S. Degree, majoring in Religious Education.

She is sandwiched between two brothers. They were raised in the Christian Church [Disciples of Christ] by parents who were both life-long Disciples. Their father was a vocational agricultural teacher, an Elder, and an adult Church School teacher; their mother taught in the Church School, was active in CWF, and was a member of P.E.O.

In 1953, while at Phillips University, she met her husband, Ed, another student, and they were married on December 18, 1955. They are the parents of three adult sons, and the grandparents of four grandchildren, two boys and two girls.

Lou had taught grades one and two in two public schools for three years before their first son was born in 1958.

During Ed’s pastorate of the First Christian in Athens, TX from 1964-69, Lou observed the like needs of other mothers with pre-school children and started a one-day-per-week Christian Pre-School program in the church. This program grew quickly and by 1969, prior to Public School Kindergarten in Texas, it had become a 5-mornings-per-week church-provided Kindergarten in the community. Lou then attended Texas Woman’s University [TWU] in Denton, TX, receiving a Master of Education Degree in Early Childhood in 1972. She had returned to the public classroom in 1969, teaching Kindergarten for three years at a large school in South Dallas. Beginning in 1972, she taught Kindergarten for 21 more years in Lancaster, TX, retiring in 1993, having completed a total of 27 years as a teacher in four Public School Systems, three in Texas and one in Oklahoma. She is also a P.E.O. member.

During Ed’s 16-year pastoral tenure at East Dallas Christian Church from 1984-mid-2000, Lou served for one year as their Director of Mom’s-Day-Out, and then as part-time Interim Director of Christian Education for one other year. Also while there, she was ordained to the Office of Elder.

Lou has served as a Campfire Counselor, Cub Scout Den Mother, a counselor in numerous church camps, and throughout her life she has taught all ages in Church school. She has also served as President of the South Dallas County Retired School Personnel.

Since mid-2000, Lou and Ed have lived in retirement in Hurst, TX. They are members of First Christian Church in Arlington, TX, where Ed served on the staff part-time for 7 ½ years before his “re-retirement” on the last day of 2008. Lou has worked on the Curriculum Team in the new Rotation Model for Children’s Church School called Bible Land, participated in CWF, served as a Diaconate Team Leader, and is an Elder. On August 1, 2016 they moved to a Fort Worth retirement community and live independently in one of the residences.

Lou is a long-time active member of P.E.O. Her hobbies are gardening, art – currently pastels, reading, taking care of, and keeping up with, her husband, and loving their Miniature Poodle.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lester and Charlotte Swaney; a brother, Eugene Swaney, and granddaughter, Morgan Michael.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband, Edwin Michael of Ft, Worth; her son’s, Randy Michael of Galveston, Kirk Michael and wife Darletta of Rhome, and Scott Michael of Ft. Worth; her grandchildren, Robert and Dalton Michael and Kelsie Lenox; her brother, William Swaney; numerous extended family members and a host of friends.

Memorial service will be 2:00 p.m. Thursday, November 3, 2022 at First Christian Church in Arlington Texas.

Memorials may be made to: Alzheimer's Research, The Morgan Aliese Michael Memorial Scholarship @ U.N.T. Mayborn School of Journalism.