Obituary: Merry Ann Swank

Merry Ann (Nichols) Swank was born in Creston, IA on January 19, 1948, to Arthur Franklin and Wilma Charlene (Borrusch) Nichols. She joined an older brother and sister. The family lived on a farm near Tingley for more than fifty years. She attended school at Tingley and Mount Ayr.
On August 24, 1964, Merry Ann and Larry Swank were married. They are the parents of Jennifer Ann and Matthew Jason. The couple later divorced.
Much of Merry Ann’s work life was spent in the health care field working in hospital and nursing home facilities in Creston. She also provided in-home care for many people.
Her grandchildren Laura, Sara, and Dylan brought great joy to her life. She dearly loved having them stay with her and taking them places.
Merry Ann entered Mount Ayr Health Care Center in 2020 and spent the rest of her life there suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. She died December 8, 2025. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother Charles Dean.
She is survived by both her daughter and son, her daughter-in-law Kristina, her three grandchildren Laura, Sara, and Dylan, her former husband Larry, her sister Nancy and brother-in-law Ron Willey, sister-in-law Mary Nichols, nephew and niece Scott and Suzanne Nichols, and other relatives and friends.
Burial will be at a later date in the Tingley Cemetery. Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr is in charge of the arrangements.