CJ Swearingen
February 20, 1985 - October 7, 2019
PAVE LOW Crew Chief
Christopher Jesse (CJ) Swearingen, age 34, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, October 7, 2019 in Clovis, New Mexico, where he was stationed with the United States Air Force Special Operations. CJ was born February 20, 1985 in Kewanee, Illinois to Gary Swearingen and Amber (Prater) Swearingen. He was a 2003 graduate of Illinois Valley Central High School in Chillicothe, Illinois. CJ joined the United States Air Force in 2006. He was stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida for the majority of his career with the Air Force and had reached the rank of Staff Sargent. CJ worked diligently in his craft, as a Special Operations helicopter mechanic and was named on the Quality Assurance Honor Roll all 4 quarters of 2018. He was considered one of the “go-to guys” in his field. One of CJ’s passions was creating and building things with his wife Ashley, from a bookshelf or a table to rebuilding a truck, they always had something in the works. As she put it, “that boy could build anything”. CJ also loved grilling and smoking food and was quite the cook. CJ was a loving husband, father, son and friend and will be missed tremendously.
He is survived by his wife Ashley of Clovis NM, his son Logan, and his daughters Jesse and Kaylie. Also surviving are his dad Gary of Kewanee, IL, his mom and stepdad Amber and Mark Stephens of Chillicothe, IL, his brother Jacob (Ariana) Stephens and one niece, Skylar of Dunlap, IL, his sisters Jillian Stephens of Mesa, Arizona and Caley Swearingen of Kewanee, IL, and his grandfather Bud Prater of Chillicothe, IL. CJ was preceded in death by grandparents Leo and Eleanor Swearingen of Kewanee, IL and Fern Prater of Chillicothe, IL, his aunt Deloris (DeeDee) Pierce, uncles Leo Swearingen and Rob Raynor and cousins Richie Grayson and Jenny Salisbury.