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Obituaries

Obituary for Jerry Maynard Swisher Sr. Jerry Maynard Swisher Sr.
Fairfield Resident, Well-Known Livestock Producer, Advisor, Dies At Age 89

Jerry Maynard Swisher Sr., 89, of Fairfield, Virginia died Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at Blue Ridge Christian Home in Raphine.

Born December 29, 1929 in Lexington, VA, he was the first son of the late Otho Maynard Swisher and Marie Davis Swisher.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Keith Delano Swisher and an infant brother, Sidney Oliver Swisher.

Jerry was a longtime member of the New Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Fairfield.

At a very early age, Jerry began his career in the livestock business and was well-known throughout the area. He and his late brother, Keith, formed a partnership early in their lives and spent their career raising cattle on their farms in the Fairfield area and buying and selling livestock throughout Virginia and adjoining states.

Jerry was a strong supporter of the Rockbridge 4-H & Livestock program and was honored to have the 2012 Rockbridge 4-H & FFA Livestock Show dedicated to him.

Mr. Swisher has bought and sold livestock for over 70 years dealing with local, state and out of state producers. He sold and shipped feeder pigs to North Carolina, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio, as well as cattle all over the United States. Jerry was one of few livestock dealers in Virginia that was certified and licensed under the Packers and Stockyards Act with the USDA.

Mr. Swisher has served as an advisor throughout the years to numerous livestock producers, both young and old, on how to best market their livestock. He was recognized by many livestock producers, order buyers and marketing specialists as one of the very few "Old Timers" still buying and selling livestock. His buying motto "We May Doze, But We Never Close" still hangs today on the state certified scales that have been used to weigh literally hundreds of thousands of animals that he has bought and sold throughout his career.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Nancy Johnson Swisher; children, Jerry Maynard Swisher Jr. (Donna), Larry Johnson Swisher (Amy), one daughter, Susan Lynn Hutchison (James); two sisters, Barbara Ann Trandel of Lexington and Eugenia Hockman of Brownsburg; two grandsons, four granddaughters, four great grandsons and one great granddaughter.

A funeral service will be 2 p.m. Monday, February 4, 2019 at Mt. Carmel Presbyterian Church with Rev. Kenneth Price and Rev. Brandon McClung officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Carmel Presbyterian Cemetery. The family will receive friends 4 to 6 pm. Sunday, February 3, 2019 at Harrison Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the charity of your choice.

Arrangements by Harrison Funeral Home & Crematory, Lexington, VA.