Terry Eugene Swartos of Volga, SD passed away on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023 at home after a long illness of Lewy Body Dementia.  A private celebration of life with immediate family is being planned.  Eidsness Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Terry Eugene Swartos was the first of six children born to Gordon and Dorothy (Nelson) Swartos, on July 8, 1945 in Volga, SD.  He grew up on a farm near Sinai and attended country school until the family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1955.  The family moved back to South Dakota in 1958.

Terry played basketball and football his freshman year of high school in Toronto, SD and his Sophomore year in Sinai, SD.  The Sinai school closed and Terry played football and ran track his junior and senior year of high school in Volga, graduating in 1963.  Terry was able to be at his 60th High School Class reunion in June of this year.

Terry attended Huron College until 1966, when he enlisted in SD Army National Guard.  He retired after 20 years from Company A of the 153rd Combat Engineer Battalion attaining the rank of Sargent First Class.  After returning from basic training in the fall of 1966, he worked for Gross Construction, the Volga Creamery, and Rud Construction until 1968 when he worked for Land 'O Lakes Dairy Plant.  Also, in November, 1968, he married Jeanne Henrikson of Sinai.  To this union 3 children were born, Tim, Traci, and Tom (TJ). Jeanne passed away in May of 1998.  Terry was one of six employees in 1971, when he began his long career with 3M, on the very day that the Brookings Plant began operations.  After 33 years of perfect attendance, he retired and devoted more time to farming which he had started doing in 1990.  Terry was a member of the Edgar L. Herrick Post No. 42 in Arlington, SD.

In February, 2004, Terry married Linda Smith (Nelson) in Brookings, SD.  They continued living in Volga and farming until 2018.  Terry was an avid Vikings and Twins fan.  In his younger years he would attend a game of each at least once a year.  In 1984 he won 2 tickets to the World Series played in Detroit that year. He enjoyed fishing trips to Canada with his 3M buddies.  In 2010 he was given the fishing trip of a lifetime to Alaska and caught a 52 pound salmon. He enjoyed hunting, golfing, snow skiing, and playing cards.  Terry spent many hours traveling to Trevon's sporting events.

Being an extrovert, he loved socializing, had a quick witted sense of humor. He loved a good joke or a good prank.  Terry rarely ever missed his early morning coffee time at the local convenience store, until his decline in health kept him from going in late August of this year.

Terry will be greatly missed by his wife, Linda; children: Tim (Barb) Traci Watkins, and TJ; step-children Jennifer (Keith) VandenBosch and Ed Smith; five grandchildren and three step-grandchildren, one great granddaughter, and several step-great grandchildren; siblings Dale (Wanda) Swartos, Steve Swartos, Sheila (Dennis) Larson, Nancy Stuefen, Don (Brenda) Swartos and many nephews, nieces, and cousins.

Terry is preceded in death by his first wife, Jeanne, parents, Gordon and Dorothy Swartos, step- son Patrick Smith; his in-laws, Wayne and Maxine Henrikson, and Viola Nelson Wagner.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Volga Fire Department where Terry served for 28 years.