Gretchen C. Swinney

Gretchen C. Swinney, age 68, of Bassett, NE passed away Monday, August 29, 2022, at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. She was born August 24, 1954, in Ainsworth, NE to Howard and Leona (Kaufman) Swinney. Gretchen was the eldest of four children. She grew up on a small ranch in Rock County helping her dad with milking cows and feeding the calves. However, her favorite animals were horses, which she enjoyed riding and collecting. She attended Rose School and Pony Lake in her primary school years and graduated with the class of 1973 from Rock County High School in Bassett. In high school, she spent time with her sister, Maretta. Their fun-loving antics earned them nicknames of “Gert” and “Mert”. After graduation, she attended Queen Ann’s School in Kearney, NE and graduated with a degree in Cosmetology in 1976.
Gretchen participated in 4-H growing up and she enjoyed it so much she became a leader. She loved to teach people how to sew and even quilt. She volunteered at the Senior Center for several years. Every August during the Rock County Fair, she could be found helping in the exhibit hall. Gretchen worked at various jobs, including the Range Café, cleaning services for the Bow Factory and Ranch Land Motel. She loved spending time with all her nieces and nephews and teaching them with her wide range of knowledge.
Gretchen was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, Custer #41 in Broken Bow, NE. She also belonged to Quilt Guild Club and Rock County FCE Club.
Gretchen was preceded in death by her father, Howard Swinney; sister, Maretta Porter; brother in-law, Burton Porter; brothers, Harold and Ward Swinney, grandparents Bob & Velma Kaufman and Gilbert & Christine Swinney; uncle and aunt, Lester and Margaret Sybrant.
She is survived by her mother, Leona Swinney of Bassett; niece, Carrie (Scott) Rasmussen of Burwell, NE; nephew, Curtis Porter and extended family, Christopher and Stacey Twine of Cozad, NE; great-nieces, KayLee (Zeb Heggem) Rasmussen and son, Kingston, all of Burwell, Shealynn Rasmussen of Burwell, Kiley and Savanna Porter of Cozad, and Abigail and Autumn Twine of Cozad; great-nephews, Ethan Porter of Grand Island, NE and Sage Porter of Cozad; and aunts, Joyce (Harold) Anderson and Twilla Botsford, all of Lexington, NE; along with seven cousins, and other extended sisters and friends.