Gwendolyn Rhea Swearingin

Gwendolyn Rhea Yates Swearingin was born November 4, 1941 and received her eternal inheritance on September 25, 2015. Raised in Kansas City, MO, she moved to the Ozarks in 1959. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Education and taught elementary school for 3 years at Ozark Elementary. Gwen had a natural talent for business and ran a successful fabric store in Ozark in the early ‘70s. She turned her hand to Real Estate in the late ‘70s and became a multi-million dollar agent. She sold realty for nearly 40 years and shared her knowledge and wisdom with many beginning realtors over the years. Gwen was a faithful member of Riverside Road church of Christ in Ozark. She loved helping her brothers and sisters in Christ and offering hospitality and encouragement to them at every opportunity. She was a living witness to the love and generosity of God, especially to the friendless and needy. She had an open, accepting, kind heart and believed there was good in everyone. The Lord blessed Gwen with many talents including a beautiful alto voice and an artist's hand for drawing and painting. However, her greatest gift was being a loving, caring, gentle, patient, supportive, and devoted mother and grandmother. Gwen was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Ruby Yates; her daughter and son-in-law, Glenda and Steve Messersmith; and her niece, Tracy Murphy. She is survived by her daughters, Amy VanGorden, and her husband, Todd, of Ozark; and Susan Dimitrijevic, and her husband, Dejan, of Austin, Tx. She is also survived by her grandson Andrew Dimitrijevic, of Austin, Tx; and her sisters, Mary Hale, of Ava, Mo; and Cheryl McClung, and her husband Richard, of Holt, MO. Gwen leaves behind several beloved nieces and nephews including Pam, Jimmy, Jan, Aubrey, Samantha, Jake, Brooke, Grant, Taylor, Cole, Zoie, Makenzie, and Lexi. Funeral services will be 10:00 AM Friday, October 2, in Adams Funeral Home, Ozark. Burial will follow in Hopedale Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 - 7:00 PM Thursday in the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.