WJ Bill Swank

WJ Bill Swank was born on July 6th, 1953 to Wilma (Weyer) and Don Swank, a hair stylist and logger of North Idaho. He gained parents and siblings when he was welcomed into the Riplinger family at age thirteen.

To honor his foster-dad, Babe Riplinger, Bill followed in his footsteps and became a funeral director, graduating from Mount Hood College with a degree in mortuary science. He was well-known and respected in this field. Bill testified against murderers of his clients, leading to long sentences and was one of the best in reconstruction. He was a philanthropist, serving on cemetery boards, led Rotary fundraisers, and was honored with Rotary's Good Fellow award.

Bill was married to Sandy Swank while in college and married Cindy Swank in 1985. They enjoyed 35 years of marriage, where they helped to create and raise their daughter, Desalyn Darianna Swank. Bill, in his creative nature, came up with the name Desalyn. Bill was a talented sculptor and painter, talents he used in reconstruction. He enjoyed wood-working and built a cabin with his wife, Cindy. He was most at home in North Idaho, riding motorcycles on logging roads, and loved camping with his brother, Jack, and sister, Janie, and their families.

Bill is in Heaven with his honorary daughter, Tara; his parents: Wilma Weyer, Don Swank, Babe and Pat Riplinger; his brother, Jim Riplinger; his sister, Peggy Riplinger; his beloved nephew, Drew Swank; his favorite uncle, Pat, uncles Joe, Curly, Tom, and Bill, aunts, Margret and Ginny, and his dogs, Tiny, Nobbers, Toto, and CoCoLaLa (Des's dog). Bill is survived by Desalyn and Cindy Swank, his honorary daughter, Nikki Swank, his brothers, Don (Swank), Jack (Riplinger), Larry (Riplinger), and Mike (Riplinger), his sisters, Janie (Swank), MaryAnn (Weyer), Wilma (Weyer), Mary (Riplinger), Barb (Riplinger), Susie (Riplinger), his aunt, Ruth Weyer, and Sarah Eylar and her kids, as well as many nieces, nephews, including his favorite nephew, Gerry, cousins and friends that love him and think the world of him, including his best friends, Brad Fountain, Pat O'Malley, Gary Cook, Ray Flaherty, and John Hickman. We are honored that John is officiating the funeral. May Bill be at peace in Heaven.

Tribute obit:

In memory of my dad, WJ Bill Swank. Dad’s body died a year ago today, but his soul lives on in Heaven. He was born to a logger and hair stylist of North Idaho and on his second day of life, his dad’s body died and his mom was left to care for him with the help and love of her family. At 13 he gained a new family when he and his brother became one of ten at the home of Babe and Pat Riplinger. To honor his foster dad, my dad entered into the funeral service as a second generation funeral director. He was known for his high moral standards, sculpture and restoration skills, and compassion for the families he cared for. In the summer of 1985, he was looking through the Nickel Nik for a used snow blower and found an ad misprinted in the used equipment section ‘looking for a good man that loves the outdoors.’ He was the 24th out of 25 letters read by my mom who placed the ad. She never met number 25. The night my parents met, she soon went to a payphone to call her mom and say she’d found the man she was going to marry. A few months later, they married in the snow, with snowball fights, and flute music by Tara. My parents had me and they took in my two honorary sisters, Tara and Nikki for a while when I was little. Dad helped buy Tara her first car. She drove it for years and was proud of it until it finally started to fall apart. Dad would use his skills from work to do my nails, hair, and makeup every time I asked. His love language was pushing us to be the best. He bought and started several businesses with Mom, the favorites were a flower shop and a muffler shop. He taught me to fall trees, chop wood, care for chickens, motercycle, give myself mani-pedis (which he would also go get with me), gold pan, weld, woodwork, draw, drive, how to survive a strong river current on my own, strength, compassion, and independence. He built me toys, stilts, a fort and so much more. I love you, Daddy. I miss you being in your body, but I know you are around me all the time. I love you. Des