Running the Race

An Obituary

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   Almost from the moment he was born to Kline Swygard and Jeanette (Swygard) Simerville on October 19, 1953, Kenneth Kline Swygard was hardly ever still.  From a very early age, he earned the nickname PerpMo, short for Perpetual Motion.  If there was a competition involved, he was fully engaged, especially with golf, baseball, basketball, and running.  By the time he graduated from high school, he was a scratch golfer and a state champion both in football and especially in baseball, catching the eye of even the mighty New York Yankees who drafted him out of high school.

   But God had other plans.  Ken was invited to an FCA meeting during his junior year of high school.  Ken walked into that meeting an unbeliever, and he walked out a believer.  There was no altar call, no challenge to raise his hand, no sinner’s prayer prayed, but God worked mightily in his heart, and for the rest of his life, Ken bore witness to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit Who regenerated him into a repentant disciple in an instant.  Because of this transformation, he decided to attend Elim Bible College instead of pursuing a career as a baseball pitcher. 

‌   While there, his love for the Lord deepened, and he met Linda.  Ken and Linda were wed about a year later.  Ken then finished his college degree, and he and Linda settled in Kansas City to raise their family.  The bulk of Ken’s career was as an air traffic controller with the FAA, serving the American public by keeping planes from running into one another.  More importantly, as a result of Ken’s faithful witness, God brought several of Ken’s coworkers to faith in Christ. 

‌   Ken’s itch for constant motion compelled him to complete 18 marathons, including several Boston marathons, but even more importantly to maintain relationships, continually bearing witness to his awesome Savior.  Ken did not walk through life.  He ran. 

‌   Sadly, on August 13, 2024, God began His final call on Ken’s life: the call home.  He suffered cardiac arrest on a golf course while playing the game he loved his whole life with friends he had kept since high school.  In fact, the very friend who had invited him to the FCA meeting where God called him to Himself was the same one who began CPR, resuscitating Ken on the golf course.  Sadly, the damage to his brain had already been done, and nearly three weeks later on September 1, 2024, at 11:23 AM PDT, Ken finished his earthly race and began his eternal rest.  His long-time prayer of desiring to cease from sin and to become more like his Beautiful Savior was answered. 

‌   Ken is survived by many loving friends and family, many of whom can trace their faith in Christ to Ken’s influence and witness.  His brothers Jim and Don and sisters Jann and Julie together with their families all mourn our loss.  His wife Linda together with her brother Mike and sister Connie are deeply grieved at his passing.  Ken and Linda’s two sons Jeremy and Luke Swygard together with their wives and children miss Pa Ken dearly as well.  But—for all of us who are in Christ—we look forward eagerly to meeting Ken again, forever praising and worshiping and ruling and reigning with our great God because of all that He has done to save all His saints, to make them like Himself, and all to the praise of His glorious mercy and grace.