Chief Master Sergeant Jay R. Swonger went to be with his Lord and Savior on May 25th, 2023. The visitation will be held Sunday, June 4th from 5:00 to 7:00 at North's Funeral Home, 242 Orange St., Abilene. The memorial service will be on Monday, June 5th at 1:30 also, at North's Funeral Home. A full military honors ceremony will follow at the Texas State Veteran's Cemetery, Abilene. Jay was born at the Station hospital at Fort Sam Houston, Texas on June 7th 1929 to Etta Mae Swonger and Harry G. Swonger. He spent most of his early years growing up at Fort Sam Houston but also lived in Honolulu for a short stint as a boy. He moved to Hondo, Texas in 1943, where he graduated from Hondo High School in 1946. He spent one year attending Southwest Junior college at Uvalde, Texas. Chief Swonger joined the Air Force reserves in September 1950 in San Antonio, Texas. He was called to active duty on May 1st 1951 and retired on November 1st, 1982 as the Senior Enlisted Advisor for the 96th Bomb Wing at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas. He was a Korean War Vet. During his career he was stationed in Japan, France, Germany and Belgium as well as New Jersey and Texas. He had assignments at SHAPE HQ and USEUCOM. After his retirement from the Air Force he worked and managed the Bank of America at Dyess Air Force Base for 10 years. Following that, he spent many years serving meals on Wheels and reading to young children at Bassetti Elementary School. Jay married Barbara Jean Pope from Uvalde, Texas on the 26th of April 1951, 6 days before coming on active duty with the Air Force. They had four children. Barbara and the family traveled with Jay to most of his duty assignments. Chief was a co-founder and life member of the Dyess Chiefs group. He had been a Master Mason for over 70 years. Jay was a member of Texas Lodge # 8 in San Antonio, Texas and John Sayles Lodge #1408 in Abilene Texas. He is also a life member of the VFW, Post 6873, DAV, Post 36, NCOA Chapter 176 and the Air Force Sergeants Association Chapter 1056. He is a charter member of the Air Force Memorial in Washington, DC. Jay is also a member of St. James United Methodist Church in Abilene, Texas. He is preceded in death by his wife Barbara of 65 years of marriage, his parents and a long time stepfather Bob Roberts and a daughter-in-law Joy Swonger. Left to cherish his memories are his four children and their spouses. Karen Ritz and her husband Alvin, Larry Swonger and his wife Gwen, Lisa Feick and her husband, John and Chris Swonger and his wife Amy. He has 8 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project and St. James United Methodist Church of Abilene. Condolences for the family may be left at www.northsfuneralhome.com.