Forest Joseph Swineford, 85, of Ashland, passed away peacefully at his home, Sunday, March 9, 2014, after a five-year battle with cancer.
Forest was born February 27, 1929 in Ashland County to Kent and Pauline (nee Witmer) Swineford and raised on his parents' farm. Forest graduated from Ashland High School in 1947 and served 3 1/2 years in the U.S. Air Force as a Chaplain's assistant. After his discharge in 1952 Forest returned to Ashland and continued his employment with F.E. Myers.
He married Iva Jean Markel on February 16, 1952.
In 1966 he founded Ashland Car Wash Equipment which later became Ohio Power Washer Inc. and remained CEO until the sale of the business. He then attended Kent State University before teaching home remodeling for 15 years at Pioneer Joint Vocational School. Forest served as president of Youth for Christ and Christian Business Men, both of Mansfield. Forest also served as Sunday School Superintendent at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, was on the Deacon Board at Calvary Baptist Church and taught the Senior Class.
Forest enjoyed construction, farming, gardening, helping his children build their homes, and most of all studying the Bible and serving his Lord. His love for the land and people of Israel was well known by all who knew him. During his retirement Forest traveled to many locations, including France, Japan, Hawaii and the Philippines serving several missionary organizations as both a teacher and remodeler. An avid woodworker one of Forest's last projects was constructing a detailed scale model of the Biblical tabernacle which he used to explain the gospel message both in the U.S. and abroad. He was a faithful husband and father who cared deeply for his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Iva (Markel) Swineford; daughter Sharon (Dave) Hemingway, Grand Rapids, Michigan; sons Michael (Sharon) Swineford, Milan, Indiana, and Timothy (Sandra) Swineford, Ashland, Ohio; grandchildren Jeff (Trish), Brad (Amanda), and Matt (Chantel) Hemingway, Jim (Janyece), John, and Jennifer Swineford, and Blake and Bree Swineford; 6 great grandchildren; one sister Eva (Bruce) Bunte; and sisters-in-law Janet and Nancy Swineford.
Forest was preceded in death by his parents, siblings Gerald Swineford, Fern McCullough, Roger Swineford, Gene Swineford, parents-in-law Dan & Nannie Markel, and brother-in-law James McCullough.
Forest was born February 27, 1929 in Ashland County to Kent and Pauline (nee Witmer) Swineford and raised on his parents' farm. Forest graduated from Ashland High School in 1947 and served 3 1/2 years in the U.S. Air Force as a Chaplain's assistant. After his discharge in 1952 Forest returned to Ashland and continued his employment with F.E. Myers.
He married Iva Jean Markel on February 16, 1952.
In 1966 he founded Ashland Car Wash Equipment which later became Ohio Power Washer Inc. and remained CEO until the sale of the business. He then attended Kent State University before teaching home remodeling for 15 years at Pioneer Joint Vocational School. Forest served as president of Youth for Christ and Christian Business Men, both of Mansfield. Forest also served as Sunday School Superintendent at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, was on the Deacon Board at Calvary Baptist Church and taught the Senior Class.
Forest enjoyed construction, farming, gardening, helping his children build their homes, and most of all studying the Bible and serving his Lord. His love for the land and people of Israel was well known by all who knew him. During his retirement Forest traveled to many locations, including France, Japan, Hawaii and the Philippines serving several missionary organizations as both a teacher and remodeler. An avid woodworker one of Forest's last projects was constructing a detailed scale model of the Biblical tabernacle which he used to explain the gospel message both in the U.S. and abroad. He was a faithful husband and father who cared deeply for his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Iva (Markel) Swineford; daughter Sharon (Dave) Hemingway, Grand Rapids, Michigan; sons Michael (Sharon) Swineford, Milan, Indiana, and Timothy (Sandra) Swineford, Ashland, Ohio; grandchildren Jeff (Trish), Brad (Amanda), and Matt (Chantel) Hemingway, Jim (Janyece), John, and Jennifer Swineford, and Blake and Bree Swineford; 6 great grandchildren; one sister Eva (Bruce) Bunte; and sisters-in-law Janet and Nancy Swineford.
Forest was preceded in death by his parents, siblings Gerald Swineford, Fern McCullough, Roger Swineford, Gene Swineford, parents-in-law Dan & Nannie Markel, and brother-in-law James McCullough.
Forest Joseph Swineford, 85, of Ashland, passed away peacefully at his home, Sunday, March 9, 2014, after a five-year battle with cancer.
Forest was born February 27, 1929 in Ashland County to Kent and Pauline (nee Witmer) Swineford and raised on his parents' farm. Forest graduated from Ashland High School in 1947 and served 3 1/2 years in the U.S. Air Force as a Chaplain's assistant. After his discharge in 1952 Forest returned to Ashland and continued his employment with F.E. Myers.
He married Iva Jean Markel on February 16, 1952.
In 1966 he founded Ashland Car Wash Equipment which later became Ohio Power Washer Inc. and remained CEO until the sale of the business. He then attended Kent State University before teaching home remodeling for 15 years at Pioneer Joint Vocational School. Forest served as president of Youth for Christ and Christian Business Men, both of Mansfield. Forest also served as Sunday School Superintendent at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, was on the Deacon Board at Calvary Baptist Church and taught the Senior Class.
Forest enjoyed construction, farming, gardening, helping his children build their homes, and most of all studying the Bible and serving his Lord. His love for the land and people of Israel was well known by all who knew him. During his retirement Forest traveled to many locations, including France, Japan, Hawaii and the Philippines serving several missionary organizations as both a teacher and remodeler. An avid woodworker one of Forest's last projects was constructing a detailed scale model of the Biblical tabernacle which he used to explain the gospel message both in the U.S. and abroad. He was a faithful husband and father who cared deeply for his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Iva (Markel) Swineford; daughter Sharon (Dave) Hemingway, Grand Rapids, Michigan; sons Michael (Sharon) Swineford, Milan, Indiana, and Timothy (Sandra) Swineford, Ashland, Ohio; grandchildren Jeff (Trish), Brad (Amanda), and Matt (Chantel) Hemingway, Jim (Janyece), John, and Jennifer Swineford, and Blake and Bree Swineford; 6 great grandchildren; one sister Eva (Bruce) Bunte; and sisters-in-law Janet and Nancy Swineford.
Forest was preceded in death by his parents, siblings Gerald Swineford, Fern McCullough, Roger Swineford, Gene Swineford, parents-in-law Dan & Nannie Markel, and brother-in-law James McCullough.
Forest was born February 27, 1929 in Ashland County to Kent and Pauline (nee Witmer) Swineford and raised on his parents' farm. Forest graduated from Ashland High School in 1947 and served 3 1/2 years in the U.S. Air Force as a Chaplain's assistant. After his discharge in 1952 Forest returned to Ashland and continued his employment with F.E. Myers.
He married Iva Jean Markel on February 16, 1952.
In 1966 he founded Ashland Car Wash Equipment which later became Ohio Power Washer Inc. and remained CEO until the sale of the business. He then attended Kent State University before teaching home remodeling for 15 years at Pioneer Joint Vocational School. Forest served as president of Youth for Christ and Christian Business Men, both of Mansfield. Forest also served as Sunday School Superintendent at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, was on the Deacon Board at Calvary Baptist Church and taught the Senior Class.
Forest enjoyed construction, farming, gardening, helping his children build their homes, and most of all studying the Bible and serving his Lord. His love for the land and people of Israel was well known by all who knew him. During his retirement Forest traveled to many locations, including France, Japan, Hawaii and the Philippines serving several missionary organizations as both a teacher and remodeler. An avid woodworker one of Forest's last projects was constructing a detailed scale model of the Biblical tabernacle which he used to explain the gospel message both in the U.S. and abroad. He was a faithful husband and father who cared deeply for his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Iva (Markel) Swineford; daughter Sharon (Dave) Hemingway, Grand Rapids, Michigan; sons Michael (Sharon) Swineford, Milan, Indiana, and Timothy (Sandra) Swineford, Ashland, Ohio; grandchildren Jeff (Trish), Brad (Amanda), and Matt (Chantel) Hemingway, Jim (Janyece), John, and Jennifer Swineford, and Blake and Bree Swineford; 6 great grandchildren; one sister Eva (Bruce) Bunte; and sisters-in-law Janet and Nancy Swineford.
Forest was preceded in death by his parents, siblings Gerald Swineford, Fern McCullough, Roger Swineford, Gene Swineford, parents-in-law Dan & Nannie Markel, and brother-in-law James McCullough.
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