Obituaries

219

Shirley Cook

  Shirley Mae (Swanson) Cook, age 92, of Lawrenceburg, Indiana, formerly of East Enterprise, passed away at 7:25 a.m. on Tuesday, May 10th, 2022, at the Ridgewood Health Campus in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

  Shirley entered this life on September 9th, 1929 in Patriot. She was the daughter of the late Henry Jonas Swanson, Sr. and Helen Elizabeth (White) Swanson. She was raised in Patriot and was a 1946 graduate of Patriot High School.

  Shirley was united in marriage to Paul Edwin Covington, Sr. on June 19th, 1946 in Patriot. This union was blessed with four sons: Paul, Dennis, Danny and Duane; and a daughter, Sherry.

  Shirley was later united in marriage to William Edward “Bill” Cook on June 19th, 1976 in East Enterprise. Shirley and Bill shared nearly 34 years of marriage together until he passed away on April 6th, 2010.

  Shirley was employed for the U.S. Shoe Factory in Vevay for over 20 years. She watched numerous children in her home for 20 years.

  Shirley was a founding member of the Switzerland County EMS and was a charter member of the Dearborn Baptist Church in Manchester, Indiana. Shirley enjoyed quilting, babysitting and attending church. She loved her family deeply and will be missed.

  Shirley is survived by her children: Paul Covington, Jr. and his wife Rhonda of East Enterprise, Dennis Covington and his wife Deb of Bear Branch, Indiana, Danny Covington and his wife Kathy of Vevay, Duane Covington and his companion Susan Darling of East Enterprise, and Sherry Baer and her husband Don of Lawrenceburg, Indiana; by her grandchildren: Christopher Covington, Lori Payne, Andrea Wolford, Olivia Covington, Amanda Norfleet Dwenger, Kimberly Hudson, Alyson Manet, Lisa Ahluwalia, Lesley Covington, Gerri Covington, Jon Covington, Jesse Covington, Sean Siekman, Tiffany Terhune and Jakob Williams; by her great-grandchildren: Isabel Payne, Jackson Payne, Elijah Wolford, Ellie Dwenger, Lincoln Hudson, Brynn Hudson, Franklin Manet, Roger Manet, Henry Ahluwalia, Lucian Ahluwalia, Tyler Covington, Bella Shaver, Leah Siekman, William Siekman, Rhys Wyatt and Kaydin Williams; by her sisters: Sharon Harlow of Rising Sun and Ramona Titkemeyer Bartlett of Plant City, Florida; by her sisters-in-law: Alice Swanson of Lansing, Michigan and Daisy Swanson of Bennington; and by her numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

  She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry Jonas Swanson, Sr. and Helen Elizabeth (White) Swanson; by her husband, William Edward “Bill” Cook; by her sister, Gloria Swanson; by her brothers: Henry “Hank” Swanson, Jr., Sanford Swanson, Carroll Frederick “Buddy” Swanson, Kenneth S. Swanson, Sr. and Miles “Buster” Swanson; by her grandson, Benjamin Covington; and by her great-grandchildren: Ashton and Brady Terhune.

  Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Monday, May 16th, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street, Vevay, Indiana, 47043.

   Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17th, by Brother Darrell Sparks at the funeral home.

  Interment will follow in the New Liberty Cemetery in East Enterprise.

  Memorial contributions may be made to the New Liberty Cemetery Fund, Alzheimer’s Association or Dearborn Baptist Church. Cards are available at the funeral home.

Michael Turner

  Michael Peary Turner, age 75, of Vevay, passed away at 5:27 a.m. on Saturday, May 7th, 2022, at the Swiss Villa Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Vevay.

  Michael entered this life on August 22nd, 1946 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was the son of the late Peary Leon and Kathleen Cecelia (Hansel) Turner. He was raised on a farm in southeastern Indiana and was a 1964 graduate of Cross Plains High School. While in high school, Michael pursued a college prep curriculum and played basketball and baseball and ran cross country and track.

  On May 13th, 1968, Michael enlisted into the United States Air Force Reserves at Bakalar Air Force Base in Columbus, Indiana. He trained as a reciprocating engine aircraft mechanic and graduated as the outstanding student in the class. After basic training and tech school, Michael returned home to Indiana and resumed farming and working at a plastic factory near Greensburg, Indiana. He also attended weekend training in the Air Force Reserves as an aircraft mechanic at the Bakalar Air Force Base and received the Air Force Reserve technical position on the base in September of 1967.

  On October 28th, 1967, Michael was united in marriage to Janet Marie Niccum in Friendship, Indiana. This union of 54 years was blessed with a son Michael in 1971 and a daughter Lori in 1976.

  He worked as a flight line mechanic and was the crew chief/flight engineer on a C-119 cargo aircraft and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. In May 1968, the Reserve Unit was activated for duty in Vietnam. He served as a  flight engineer on an AC-119 “gunship” in the 71st Special Operations Squadron. Michael received the Air Medal with an additional device and was very proud of his unit. After 13 months, the unit returned to reserve status and returned to Indiana. Michael was honorably discharged from the United States Army Reserves on June 18th, 1969.

  Michael soon enlisted into the Indiana Army National Guard in Madison. He joined the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and was accepted into the Free and Accepted Masons. In August 1970, Michael was employed for Thatcher Glass Manufacturing in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. While employed for Thatcher Glass, Michael attended night school at the University of Cincinnati, as well as, Purdue Extension in Versailles, Indiana, receiving college credit in math and industrial management. Michael also took a course in industrial electricity at Southeastern Indiana Vocational School in Versailles, Indiana.

  In April 1974, Michael received the Indiana National Guard Commendation Medal for meritorious service during the tornado disaster in Jefferson County, Indiana after his outstanding performance and devotion to duty during this period. After selling the farm, Michael accepted a job with the Aurora Police Department. Michael also worked part-time as a truck driver and construction worker. Michael graduated in the upper 10% of his class from the Law Enforcement Academy. Michael changed employment to Rising Sun Police Department and later to Schenley Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

  Michael also obtained his commercial pilot’s license with instrument and multi-engine ratings as well as an airframe and power plant mechanic’s license. In February 1985, he obtained his Hunter Safety Instructor Certification and taught the course to various groups in the local area. In 1990, Michael was employed for the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. as a Facility Manager for one year with assignments to Cairo, Egypt and Mexico City.

  Michael retired from the Indiana Army Reserves National Guard with 21 1/2 years of military service on August 22nd, 2006. He was later employed for the Arkansas Department of Veteran Affairs as a Veteran Service Officer in Little Rock, Arkansas for two years before returning to Vevay. Michael was a former policeman for the Vevay Police Department for several years. Michael was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, VFW Post #7769 in Beebe, Arkansas, as well as, the Indianapolis American Legion Post #777. Michael was also a member of the Switzerland County Sportsman Club.

  Michael is survived by his son, Michael Scott Turner of Beebe, Arkansas; by his niece and caretaker, Shirley Anne Davis and her husband Bill of Carrollton, Kentucky; by his grandchildren: Nate and Emma; by his sisters: Kathy Peary Turner of Aurora, Indiana and Patricia (Knight) Grant of Greendale, Indiana; and by his nieces and nephews.

  He was preceded in death by his parents, Peary Leon and Kathleen Cecelia (Hansel) Turner; by his wife, Janet M. (Niccum) Turner; by his daughter, Lori Marie Turner, who died on March 17th, 1994; and by his sister, Barbara M. (Knight) Hobbie.

  Visitation will be held from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday, May 16th, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street, Vevay, Indiana, 47043.

  Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 16th, by Reverend Wayne Daugherty, at the funeral home.

  Memorial contributions may be made to the Swiss Villa Nursing & Rehabilitation Funds Activities Fund. Cards are available at the funeral home.