Willard Swartzendruber Obituary

Willard Swartzendruber passed away on August 20, 2011 following a stroke. He was born in Morgan County, Missouri on September 18, 1923 to Herman and Ester Rodgers Swartzendruber, and grew up in Wellman, Iowa where his family was part of the Mennonite community. He played baseball, basketball and ran hurdles while in high school and worked for his father in the feed and grain business. During World War II, Bill was trained as Parachute Infantry, Demolition Specialist, 11th Army Airborne, and did occupation duty in northern Japan at the conclusion of the war. While attending Drake University, Bill met and married a nurse, Mary Wright, but his time in university was split when he was recalled during the Korean conflict. Returning to Drake University, he turned down the opportunity to play basketball for them to concentrate on his studies, graduating with a degree in actuarial science in 1951. He was a member of two business honoraries, Delta Sigma Phi, and Kappa Mu Epsilon. The next eight years they spent in New Orleans where he was with the Pan American Life Insurance Company and where he developed his love of jazz and international travel. It was there where they adopted their daughter, Linda. Then he was recruited by Safeco in Seattle to establish their life and pension program, and where they adopted their daughter, Laurie. Their next move was Bangkok to be vice president for Thailand region for the C.V. Starr Company. Three years later, they moved to Hong Kong when Bill was promoted to President and Managing Director of AIA Life Insurance and other AIG companies in Asia. He was also appointed Consul for Honduras on behalf of Great Britain. After seven years in Hong Kong, he moved his headquarters to Manila, where he also had responsibility for Philippine General Life Insurance Company and Roberts Aviation Company. He was a member of the American Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong Rotary club, Sheko Golf Club, Hong Kong Royal Golf Club, Manila Golf Club and Bangkok Sports Club. In addition to overseeing operations in Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia, he established a backup company in Kuala Lumpur and secured Nan Shan Insurance Company in Taiwan. After 14 years in the Far East, the Swartzendrubers returned to the U.S. when Bill was appointed President and CEO of the American Life Insurance Company which operated in Europe, the Middle East, East and West Africa, the Caribbean, Central America and Japan, but headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware. In 1981 he took early retirement and moved with Mary to Colorado Springs where they built a home, and had been long time members of the Garden of the Gods Club. They continued their travels around the world when he served as General Chairman for the Pacific Rim Insurance Group convention. Mary succumbed to cancer in December, 1982. In the next year Bill married Jean Mason Kocel, a widow, and acquired three stepsons. He was a life time golfer at Kissing Camels and a co-founder of the K.C. Mens Golf Club, playing team matches from Denver to Pueblo. He was a member of the World Affairs Council, Bally's Fitness club, for two years a volunteer for AARP, a regular Symphony attendee and member of First United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife, daughter Laurie, brothers Walley and Don. He is survived by wife Jean, daughter Linda Flick of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, sisters Rachel Fisher and Geneva (Glenn) Stoltzfus of Goshen, IN, brother Leo (Shirley) of Grand Junction ,CO, granddaughters Cassandra and Abby Okoniewski of Wilmington, DE, grandson Will Thomas, Wilminton, stepsons Mason Kocel (Helen) of Oceanside, CA, Michael Kocel of Colorado Springs, CO, Matthew Kocel (Pearl) of Vancouver BC, grandsons Marc, Christopher and Scott Kocel, granddaughter Carley Kocel and their mother, Caryn Kocel of Colorado springs, as well as 12 nieces, 9 nephews and their offspring. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, August 27, 1:00 p.m., Lehmberg Chapel, at First United Methodist Church Chapel. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may contribute to the FUMC Foundation or the music department at First United Methodist Church, 420 North Nevada, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.