Tommy Joseph Swisher, 80, of Monroe, formerly of Jordan Valley and Burns, passed away Nov. 29 at Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House in Albany.
He was born Feb. 9, 1935, in Nampa, Idaho, to Joseph and Ruth (Peer) Swisher.
Tommy graduated from Jordan Valley High School in 1953. In November of 1953, he joined the U.S. Army. On the way to Ford Ord, Calif., where he was to be stationed, Tommy married Amalia “Molly” Arritola at the Catholic Church in Winnemucca, Nev., on Sept. 16, 1954.
After his honorable discharge, he returned to Jordan Valley. He went to work for the state highway department, and Tommy and Molly lived at the Basque Maintenance Camp for eight-and-a-half years before being transferred to Burns. Tommy retired in 1991, and soon thereafter moved to Monroe, where he had lived since.
He was a true cowboy.
Tommy is survived by his wife, Molly, of Monroe; daughter, Angie Maplethorpe and her husband, Dave, of Hillsboro; son, Brian Swisher and his wife, Luann, of Millersburg; granddaughter, Kimberly Maplethorpe and her husband, Broc Foster, of Jacksonville, Fla; great-grandchildren, Vivian and Theodore Foster; and brother-in-law, Pasco Arritola and his wife, Judie, of La Grande.
Services will be announced at a later date.
Contributions in Tommy’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, sent in care of McHenry Funeral Home, 206 NW 5th St., Corvallis, OR 97330.
Please leave your thoughts and condolences for the family at www.mchenryfuneralhome.com