Karen Frances O’Donnell Swindler

Karen Frances O’Donnell Swindler

Cedar Rapids

Karen Frances O’Donnell Swindler, 78, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, at home surrounded by her girls.

Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27, at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids. A vigil service will begin at 4 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial: 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Marion, Iowa, by the Rev. David O’Connor. Burial will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Those unable to attend are invited to watch the service via livestream. Please find the livestream link on Karen’s Tribute Wall and share your support and memories with her family at www.stewartbaxter.com under obituaries.

Karen is survived by four daughters, Cheri (Ed) Philipp, Rene Schrader, Shelley (Dan) Helms and Kimmie (Dan) Carney; 16 grandchildren, Chelsea (Brian) Schultz, Matthew (Bianca) Finn, Abram Philipp, Annie (CJ) Manthe, Jackson Meyer, Andrew Schrader, Ashley (Mike) Zimmerman, Anthony (Desarae) Schrader, Brandon Helms, Blake (Monika) Helms, Ben Helms, Hannah Helms, Jenna, Katie, Nick and Nolan Carney; 12 plus one on-the-way great-grandchildren; and one plus one on-the-way great-great-grandchildren.

Other survivors include her siblings, Dan O’Donnell, Angie (Tim) Casey, Pat (Kathleen) O’Donnell, Mell (Lori) O’Donnell, Tom O’Donnell, Tim O’Donnell, Mike (Shelly) O’Donnell and Coleen (Tom) Stevenson; and many nieces and nephews.

Karen was born on Jan. 11, 1945, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Mell and Polly (Moore) O’Donnell. She was the oldest of nine children and her Irish Catholic heritage was very important to her. Karen’s daily prayers reflected this Catholic heritage in that she prayed daily for family, friends, those imprisoned and any and all special requests given to her by others.

Karen graduated from Regis High School in 1962. She married Leslie Swindler at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on June 6, 1964.

The story goes, Karen displayed her caregiving nature in the welcoming of strangers. Whether it was bringing several friends home for lunch, at the age of four, to her mother’s surprise, helping the downtrodden she encountered or bringing her great aunt Agnes and mother into her home to care for them in their need.

Karen had a great love for education. She had intended on going to Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa, but God had a different plan. She met the love of her life, Les Swindler, while working as a teller at a bank.

Together, they raised four daughters. Eventually, she got her wish for higher education and graduated from Mount Mercy University at the age of 50. In 2002 she went on to get her Master of Ministry from Loras College. While raising her family, Karen was actively involved in RCIA and The Catholic Worker House community. Karen served in youth faith formation in several parishes, including All Saints and St. Matthew. The highlight of her career was serving as a chaplain at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. She was very blessed as her life was filled with riches of all kinds.

We will all miss her so much. Her life of innocence and kindness. Her joviality and perhaps quote “slight” exaggeration, which kept us all in stitches. With the loss of her husband and mother, Karen put pen to paper to memorialize their lives. Her first book, The Wisdom of a Mother’s Love, was a portrayal of her own mother whom she loved dearly. Her second book, Discipleship: The Art of Becoming, was a memoir of Les’ faith journey and their life together.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 56 years; sister-in-law, Cheryl O’Donnell; niece, Claire Stevenson; her in-laws, Leland and Minnie Swindler; great-aunt, Agnes; and great-uncle, Mel Bender.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to St. Joseph Catholic Church.