Back to People Rule

Major donations

Jo Swartz gave $21,000 to AUSA

Email Article Print Article Share on Facebook Share on Reddit Share on StumbleUpon

The late Colonel Isabelle Josephine Swartz is one of those people who had a "big" life.

However, this Steilacoom local, who preferred to simply be called "Jo," was probably too busy and humble to see it this way. Jo Swartz took honor and pride in serving others in the military and civilian communities, doing good works throughout her entire life, and finally, leaving a loving and poignant legacy after her passing. For many, she was a true example of service, commitment, and patriotism at it's very finest. And for those who knew her best, she was a devoted friend.

Lakewood resident and Swartz's dear friend, Marion Ball, can certainly attest to all of these things. Friends with Swartz, since the mid 1970's, the two women were bonded by a shared family history and service to others.

"We were both Army brats," smiles Ball. "Our fathers knew each other from the 1930's. Jo's father was an artilleryman and my father was an infantryman."

"We both grew up in the Army. Army is all you know. We were Army through and through."

Indeed.

For Swartz, military life as a child and adolescent took her places. She lived on posts in Hawaii, California, Oklahoma, Utah, Missouri, and Washington D.C. During her father's deployment overseas during World War II, Swartz earned her college degree as an English and history major in Texas. Post-college, Swartz embarked on a long and amazing journey of service, that not only brought her accolades and prestigious awards and honor, but also paved the way for a lifetime of involvement, learning, and teaching.

As a civilian employee of the Department of the Army, Swartz worked at the Pentagon, as well as in Heidelberg and Kaiserslautern, Germany. She received her commission in the United States Army at Fort Lewis, Washington in 1955. Her career continued at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, and at Army posts and Air Force bases in New York, Michigan, Texas, Washington State (McChord AFB), Okinawa, Washington, D.C., and the Presidio of San Francisco.

Always the consummate student, she completed courses at the Public Affairs Course at the University of Wisconsin and became a graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C.

Swartz, a student of military heraldry, designed a Coat of Arms for the U.S. Army Women's Army Corps School and it became an official distinctive unit insignia by the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry.

Swartz's last assignment brought her back to Fort Lewis with the 9th Infantry Division.

While Swartz technically "retired" from her military career in 1975, in many ways she was just getting going. And as Ball quietly and proudly says, "she had a good service."

Swartz served as an American Red Cross volunteer, as an officer on the Board of the Ft. Lewis Military Museum, and as Commander, Regional Commander, and national staff officer of the Puget Sound Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW). She also served as a member of the Meriwether Lewis Memorial Monument Committee and was a member of the Mary Ball Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, in 1989. She served the chapter as Vice Regent, Regent. State Vice Chairman for Women in Military Service, State National Defense Chairman, Chairman of the Elvins Medical Scholarship committee and President of the Frank McCleary scholarship corporation.

Ball served right along with Swartz, the two friends traveling together for meetings and events. When commended for their community service, Ball, like Swartz is quite humble.

"We kept ourselves busy in various things," says Ball. "When we retired into the community, we became a part of the community."

"Yet, we always remained Army."

Swartz remained active and independent right up until her death in September of 2012. At the end of Swartz's life, she provided generous and substantial donations to AUSA, the Veteran's Memorial Museum in Chehalis, and many other organizations to help them continue their vital operations of service to the community.

When asked about these community gifts, Ball simply says that was just her friend Jo.

"I really miss her."

Read next close

People Rule

There is a Mrs. JBLM?

comments powered by Disqus