Mary Catherine Swanagon, age 73 of Clinton, Missouri passed away on Monday, November 13, 2023 at Golden Valley Memorial Hospital in Clinton, Missouri.
Mary Catherine Swanagon was born at General Hospital in Clinton, Missouri on May 28, 1950, to Lester (Shade) E. Hoppe and Margaret Ann Hoppe. She is preceded in death by her mother, father and son-in-law Russ Alexander.
Cathy is survived by her husband Roger, son Eric Mitchell and wife Kim, daughter Carrie Munsterman and husband Brad; Eight Grandchildren, Macey Mitchell (Cade), Katie Mitchell, Cody Mitchell, Brady Munsterman (Kayla), Tracy Munsterman, Alana Alexander, Blake Munsterman and Mitchell Alexander; her sister Cindy Moran and husband Darrel; and brother Mike Hoppe and wife Jackie, along with several nieces and nephews.
She grew up on a dairy farm just South of Clinton, and learned to work on the farm and at the famous Hoppe Drive-in. Cathy graduated from Clinton Senior High School in 1968 and received her Master’s Degree in Education from Central Missouri State University.
Cathy began her teaching career at Holy Rosary and then moved to the Clinton Public School District where she taught Home Economics for more than thirty years. According to her, she taught Child Development, Interior Design and all the life traits kids needed to know. Cathy was well-known for her ability to cook exquisite dishes and used her family as test dummies. Cathy was especially known for her homemade rolls that showed up at every family dinner.
She married Roger Swanagon in 1994 and shortly thereafter moved to their farm on South T Highway where they enjoyed their cattle, farming and hunting wildlife. Cathy and Roger enjoyed spending lots of hours cleaning up the farm and riding around just enjoying nature. They enjoyed the outdoors of their home so much that they added to their back porch, turning it into a performance stage for the grandkids. To the grandkids they were known as Grams and Poppy. It didn’t matter if it was Easter, Fourth of July, Deer Eve or someone’s birthday, outside at the farm was the only place to be. Grams and Poppy loved taking the kids on Ranger rides, watching movies in the basement, and watching them play sports.
After retiring from her career in education, Cathy followed her true passion for design and decorating and started Grapevine Hills. Cathy and Roger added on to the garage where she worked countless hours designing and setting up multiple proms for our surrounding communities. She was then asked and gladly accepted the task of planning the design setup for weddings, receptions and corporate dinners. Cathy touched the lives of so many in Henry County from school age into adulthood. She was loved by many and respected by all.
Cathy enjoyed having her hair and nails done regardless of whether she was headed out on the town, to the store. The family would even have to wait on her to fix up to go deer hunting. One thing for sure, she never liked leaving the house unless she was dressed for success. Cathy enjoyed decorating for Piccadilly Gala, and then loved spending the rest of the evening dressed to the nines with her friends. She will be missed by all of us but will not be forgotten. Cathy has spread her knowledge and ideas throughout our community for decades and her traditions will continue to carry on for decades to come. We miss you Grams and “Loves you too much.......”!
A Mass of Christian was held November 18, 2023 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Clinton with Father James Taranto officiating. Inurnment followed in Englewood Cemetery, Clinton, MO.
Services were under the direction of Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton, MO.
