Hollis Swisher

Hollis Macon “Holly” Swisher died Oct. 13, 2010.

He was born Sept. 20, 1924 in Wild Cat, W. Va., to Lannis and Mary (Allman) Swisher and grew up in West Virginia.

Holly lied about his age and enlisted in the Army in 1943. He served in Normandy, the Battle of The Bulge, Northern France, Ardennes and Rhineland and was honorably discharged in 1945.

He met and married Vera Zinn in Hawthorne, Nev., in 1947.

Holly graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in animal husbandry and competed in collegiate rodeo while there. Family and job opportunities took him to Long Beach, Calif., where he worked for Douglas Aircraft. He retired after 39 years and moved to Whitefish in 1993.

He enjoyed cutting firewood, hunting, and fishing.

Holly was preceded in death by three brothers.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Vera Swisher, of Whitefish; daughters Corine Mahon and husband Terry and their daughter Diane, of Tigard, Ore., Sandy Massey and husband Ty and their daughters Kristi and Amber, of Whitefish, and Vicki Iber and husband Matt, of Fairmont, W. Va.

Private family services will be held.

Contributions may be made to the National Museum of the U.S. Army, Processing Center, P.O. Box 96281, Washington DC 20090-6281 or to the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.