SALLY JOY SWORDS

Sally (Jenke) Swords, age 85, of Clermont, Florida, formerly of Washington, Illinois was called home by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ at 10:05 PM September 16, 2026 at Winter Garden Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Winter Garden, Florida.

Born February 5, 1941 to Arthur and Emogene "Yahr" Jenke in Chicago, Illinois. Sally was a 1958 graduate of Metamora Township High School and married Donald Swords August 24, 1958 at Christian Union Church in Metamora, Illinois. He survives. Also living are two children, son, Dan of The Villages, Florida and daughter, Carol of North Las Vegas, Nevada, two brothers, Ron Jenke, Art Jenke Jr. of Washington, Illinois, two grandchildren, Danielle Tracy of Eugene, Oregon, Nicole Swords of Mesa, Arizona, and two great grandchildren, Connor and Caden Tracy.

She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Alan. Sally was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Winter Garden, Florida for 16 years, where she volunteered as an aide to the small children of the church school, and prior to that, a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Washington, Illinois for 30 years where she and Don sang in the church choir.

Sally was a registered Radiologic Technologist, having received her training from Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, and her Associates Degree in Applied Science from Illinois Central College in East Peoria, Illinois. She worked for various hospitals and clinics in both Florida and Illinois, retiring in 2003. She and her husband, Don, moved to Clermont in 2009.

Services will be held at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Winter Garden, Florida at 11AM on Saturday September 26th, 2026. The Reverend Roberto Rojas Jr. will officiate. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service.

Internment will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery in Clermont by Becker Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Winter Garden.