Obituaries / LJWorld.com

Obituaries

Memorial services for James A. “Jim” McSwain, 65, Lawrence, will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Mustard Seed Fellowship in Lawrence. Private inurnment will occur later.Mr. McSwain died Thursday, Dec. 25, 2008, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.He was born on March 23, 1943, in Montgomery, Ala., the son of Daniel and Alice Mae Horn McSwain.He received his associate’s degree from Oklahoma State University in 1971. He later received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Central Oklahoma State University in 1976. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.Mr. McSwain was the retired fire chief for the city of Lawrence. He served in that position for 27 years until his retirement in September 2005. While in Lawrence, he oversaw the growth of the Lawrence Fire Department and the eventual merger with Douglas County Ambulance to form the Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical in 1997. He advocated many changes and safety procedures in Lawrence, which helped boost the city’s fire insurance rating. Prior to moving to Lawrence, he was a professor of fire science at Oklahoma State University.He married Rachel Schell Prather on July 4, 1993, in Lawrence. She survives, of the home.Other survivors include two daughters, Kimberly Hertach and husband Justin, Lawrence, and Heather O’Neal and husband Dawayne Barnett, Ottawa; two stepdaughters, Erika Grant and husband Mack, Eudora, and Gillian Allen and husband Chad, Olathe; a son, Creighton O’Neal and wife Staci, Shawnee; a sister, Jean Silvers, Jacksonville, Fla.; and nine grandchildren, Chandler O’Neal, Jessalyn Grant, Ashley O’Neal, Stella Barnett, Ava Hertach, Callaway Allen, Elijah James O’Neal, Marleigh Grant and Sophia Hertach. The family will greet friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday at Warren-McElwain Mortuary.The family suggests memorials to the James A. McSwain Grandchildren Educational Fund, sent in care of the mortuary.Online condolences may be sent at warrenmcelwain. com, subject: McSwain.