Harold Jefferson Swilley II, aged 77 of Monroe, Louisiana passed on to his eternal home with Jesus on Tuesday, August 17, 2021. He was born on June 2, 1944, in Winnfield, Louisiana and was the second son born to Harold Jefferson Swilley and Willie Pearl Martin Swilley. He was known to his friends and family as “Jeff”.
Jeff grew up in Winnfield and went to Winnfield High School where he was in the band and graduated with his class of 1962. He then attended Northwestern State University and graduated in 1966 with a degree in Mathematics. While he was at Northwestern, he met the love of his life, Carol Gerami Swilley in the Natatorium where he was on the swim team. They married soon after graduation and he joined the U.S. Army where he served two tours as a pilot in Vietnam and received numerous awards and a Bronze Star. They moved to many different places including Georgia, Virginia, California, Germany, Tennessee, and Texas before settling back in Louisiana. He raised his family in Pineville, Louisiana where he worked for the National Guard 225th Engineering Group at Camp Beauregard. He became a member of the Masons while in Alexandria. He eventually retired from the military and moved to Monroe, Louisiana to work for the DOTD. He was a member of Lakeshore Baptist Church and loved his church family and Pastor Smith.
Jeff was predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his wife of 55 years Carol Swilley, his brothers Allen Swilley, Paul Swilley, and Ben Swilley; daughters Rebecca Schmidt (Bill) of Alexandria, LA, Tina Hey (Bruce) of Alexandria, LA, and Cheryl Brossette (Lee) of Munday, Texas; a special brother-in-law, Victor Gerami; and his 8 grandchildren, Zachary, Kristin, Taylor, Alex, Abby, Ava, Jeremy and Christopher. The family would like to thank a very special family friend, Laurie Sylvestri for helping our family and going above and beyond to care for Jeff and Carol in their time of need.
Pallbearers honored to serve include; Lee Brossette, Jeremy Brossette, Christopher Brossette, Alex Hey, Shawn Swilley, and Bill Schmidt.
A service of remembrance will be held at 10:00AM, Monday, August 23, 2021, at Mulhearn funeral home in Monroe, Louisiana located at 2308 Sterlington Road, Monroe, LA 71203. Visitation will begin at 9:00AM and last until the time of service. Interment will be at Alexandria Memorial Gardens in Alexandria, Louisiana at 2:00PM. Friends and family will meet at the Masonic Temple on Horseshoe Drive in Alexandria following the burial service for fellowship. Please wear a mask if you choose to attend. Those who wish to remember Jeff in a special way may make gifts in his memory to the Tunnel to Towers foundation.