Luan Swigert

Luan Swigert, 71, of Monmouth, IL, peacefully entered Heaven on September 8, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family after a sudden decline in her health.

The world became a better place on April 8, 1955, when she was born to Paul and Sally Lagerstrom in Great Falls, Montana. Montana forever remained one of Luan’s favorite places.

She was raised in Galesburg, Illinois, and graduated from GHS in 1973. She went on to graduate nursing school in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Upon graduation, Luan put her nursing skills to the test at a variety of stops including St. Mary’s, Menard County Home Health Care, and S.O.G.A, but her favorite (so much so she did two stints) was at WIOMS, or more affectionately known as Dr. K and Dr. B’s. After retirement, Luan cherished catching up with “the girls” from time to time.

In 1972, Luan’s car broke down and her brother sent a guy he knew to help. She married that guy, Terry Swigert, on September 14, 1974, at the First Church of the Nazarene in Galesburg. They celebrated their 50th anniversary a couple of years ago. Luan is survived by Terry, her four kids, Amy (Wes) Arteaga, Rebecca (Jeremy) Fenton, Andrew (Melissa) Swigert, and Rachel Swigert. Also surviving are her thirteen grandkids: Bailie (Blake), Kyle, Courtney, Nick, Ada, Madelyn, Kathrynn, Audrey, Abigail, Cory, Jack, Jaxson, and Addy, as well as one great-grandson, Harrison. Luan was truly the matriarch of her ever-growing family and was everyone’s anchor; her greatest joy was her family and nothing made her happier than having everyone together.

Luan is reunited in Heaven with her parents, brother, Bill Lagerstrom, and her cherished Grama Kenny.

Luan possessed a strong faith and servant’s heart. She was a member of the First Christian Church in Monmouth, serving in various ways including Missionary Circle and Operation Christmas Child. Helping in the kitchen with meals or snack time at VBS was just another way Luan was able to give back to her church family.

Luan had a green thumb and many beautiful flowers. She enjoyed trips to the greenhouse with friends and loved to just spend time in the backyard. Her children recently discovered she and Terry had even been mentioned on her favorite YouTube influencer’s page, Garden Gab. Who knew! The task of keeping so many beautiful flowers alive will be a tall order, one her granddaughters have already been working on.

Friends and family could always expect a handwritten card around any holiday and she had a knack for saying or sending just the right message in the mail. Luan’s grandkids especially loved getting the “snail mail.”

Luan and Terry split the cooking duties. Terry made the Jello and Luan made everything else. She was a wonderful baker and cook, so much so that her family decided to share one of her favorite sweets with the rest of the world - her magic cookie bars. The recipe is below; those magic cookie bars were synonymous with any holiday or birthday celebration.

Luan fought Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency for over 30 years, never complaining. She was proud to have participated in clinical trials at NIH in Bethesda, Maryland, helping create awareness and change in the medical world.

The bookmark in Luan’s latest book she was reading summed up her perspective perfectly: Start each day with a grateful heart. As you remember this wonderful woman, we ask that you follow the same advice.

Memorial services will be 6:00 pm, Monday, September 21, 2026 at McGuire & Davies Funeral Home and Crematory, Monmouth. Cremation has been accorded. Visitation will be from 4:00pm to 6:00 pm Monday at the funeral home. An additional celebration luncheon for family & friends will be held on Tuesday, September 22nd, at 11:00am at First Christian Church of Monmouth. Memorials may be made to the Alpha-1 Foundation or the First Christian Church of Monmouth and sent to the funeral home. For more information or to leave an online condolence please visit, www.mcguireanddaviesfuneralhome.com.

Luan’s Magic Cookie Bars

1.5 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs

½ cup butter

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

½ cup chopped walnuts

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Luan’s instructions say to melt the stick butter in a glass baking dish, then put crushed crumbs on top of butter and smish down. Then, add about a fat half can of condensed milk over the top, then chips, then coconut, and the rest of the milk. (She omitted the nuts for her daughter, Becca, so these are optional.)