Arlie Emajean Swindle

Arlie Emajean (Roberts) Swindle, passed away peacefully at the age of 93 on Sunday, January 14th, 2024 at her home while listening to her morning church service. 

Emajean is survived by her three children, Edwin (Laura) Swindle, Steven (Lynne) Swindle, Ronda Swindle; grandchildren, Jason (Lauren) Swindle, Michelle (John) Thieret, and Lucas Mack (Lexi) Swindle; her great-grandchildren, Joshua, Caleb, Maddison, Evelyn, Vivian, Jonathan, Logan, and Collins. 

Emajean was born April 15th, 1930 in Paragould, Arkansas. She met her loving husband of 64 years Mack Cletus Swindle while working at Belks department store and he was in college pursuing an Engineering degree. They then dated and corresponded while he served in the Army. After he found employment with McDonnell Douglas, they married on October 16, 1955 and moved together to St Charles and soon began their family. 

She is preceded in death by her loving husband Mack on November 1, 2019, parents James Irby and Dulcie Lee (Fitzgerald) Roberts; sister Linda Lee (Roberts) Spence, and brothers, William Harlan Roberts, James Galen Roberts, John Daryl Roberts, and Wendell Ray Roberts. 

Emajean was a beloved wife, mother, and grandma that always put her family first and was selfless in everything she did.  Along with her husband, they loved the Lord Jesus Christ and raised their children to do the same. Their greatest gift to their family was the gift of their Christian faith. Emajean loved her hymns and showed her true joy in singing them throughout her life.  She loved all hymns and remembered them (most definitely the chorus words) and would sing with strong lungs until a few days before she passed.  

She enjoyed her flower garden, many of the flowers were summer lilies transplanted from her mother’s flower garden. She and Mack would spend their summers together harvesting from their vegetable garden and canning and freezing fresh vegetables and fruit. 

Emajean would accompany her husband Mack on some of the Carpenters for Christ trips working on church buildings around the country. They enjoyed traveling on vacation together and with groups of friends and family.  

The love she put into caring for her family and her delicious family meals will be sorely missed but never forgotten. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home in honor of Emajean.