By Sr. Laura Goedken
Bill Swab died Sept. 12, 2014, in Centerville. Bill did careful estate planning. With no immediate family, he was generous to several close friends and he remembered his parish, St. Mary’s in Centerville, with his quality stock portfolio. During Bill’s life and, as part of his estate planning, he had given generously to numerous civic needs, charities and school scholarships.
A few months before Bill died he said, “I am going to be very generous to my parish at my death. I want the Catholic faith to thrive in Centerville. I am grateful to God for being so good to me and I want others to do the same. Everyone can give something to the Church when they die.”
Bill was a great storyteller and an avid hunter. He loved to visit and immediately started telling you about his loving wife, his successes with investments and his hunting adventures. It was a joy to sit with him.
Bill Swab grew up in Centerville and graduated from the University of Iowa with a major in chemistry and a minor in chemical engineering. His father told him to always do a little more than was required for any employment position and Bill always followed that advice. He had jobs in his field in the states of Indiana and Michigan.
One day while reading the Wall Street Journal the headlines regarding the dramatic growth of Edward Jones Investments caught his eye. He wrote to the company saying he wanted to open an office in Centerville.
Bill moved to Centerville with his wife and began learning about investments and was quite successful. He said, “I did well financially for myself but I also made many others wealthier.” Bill and his wife wanted very much to have children but it was never in God’s plans. His wife died in 2013.
For further information on estate planning visit www.CFDDgift.org or contact Sister Laura Goedken, OP at Goedken@davenportdiocese.org or (563) 888-4252.
