Alice (Mings) Swetnam was born on May 16, 1926 to Robert "Kin" McKinley and Macie Belle (Stilley) Mings, at Embree, and went home to be with the Lord on Nov. 17, 2021, at the Kabul Nursing Center in Cabool. Alice was the sixth of the 13 children of Kin and Macie, the fourth of the 10 who lived beyond infancy. She left home at the age of 15 to join her older sister working at the Fort Leonard Wood laundry alongside Italian and German prisoners of war. While living at Roby, Alice met Edgar Swetnam and they were married June 4, 1944. Alice attended cosmetology school at Lebanon in 1959-1960. She then worked in beauty shops in Mountain Grove until moving to north Missouri. She owned beauty shops in Butler and Excelsior Springs. Fixing hair was her vocation, her passion and her ministry. God brought people to her beauty shop to give her opportunities to bless them. Alice came to Christ at the age of 8 during a brush arbor revival where the Embree Community Church is now located. Until recently she was always active in whatever church she was a member. She worked with women, youth, and children's ministries. She is a member of Kearney First Baptist Church.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Edgar Swetnam; a daughter, A. Charlene Moore; two infant brothers; one infant sister; siblings, Earl Mings, Wilma Wolfe, Pauline Coble Anderson, Vearl Mings, Emmitt Mings, Nolan Mings, Jesse Mings, Macie Smith and Beulah Coble; and 22 nieces and nephews. Alice is survived by three children, Donna Allen, Shirley Rich (Charlie) and Tony Swetnam (Lori); three grandchildren, Heather York (Jason), Todd Swetnam and Allison Swetnam; one great-grandson, Hayden Liggett; four sisters-in-law, Opal Mings, Alma Mooney, Pat Mings and Brenda Mings; and 39 nieces and nephews. Visitation for Alice Swetnam was held Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, from 1-2 p.m. at Embree Community Church. Funeral services followed the visitation, also at the church, with the Rev. Glenn Forman and the Rev. David Holvick officiating. Congregational song selections were “It Is Well With My Soul,” “All The Way My Savior Leads Me,” “In The Sweet By And By” and “When We All Get To Heaven” lead by Timothy Mings. Special song selection was “Rise Again” sung by Deanne Christensen. Todd Swetnam, Hayden Liggett, Jonathan Mings and Jason York served as pallbearers. Tony Swetnam, Charlie Rich, and Kenneth Coble served as honorary pallbearers. Burial was in Dutch Chapel Cemetery, Embree, under the direction of Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home, Mountain Grove. Memorial contributions may be made to Dutch Chapel Cemetery in care of the funeral home. Online condolences: www.craighurttfuneralhome.com.
