Dorothy Swagerty, 91, formerly of Havre, Montana, passed away on April 20, 2026, at her residence in Vancouver, Washington, with her son Shawn at her bedside. Dorothy May Robbins was born May 12, 1934, in Hinsdale, Montana. She was the fifth of eight children born to Merritt Robbins and Nellie (Crane) Robbins, homesteaders who farmed near Opheim, Montana. In 1938, the family moved to Glasgow, Montana, seeking sustainable income amid the Great Depression.
When she was five, Dorothy inhaled a screw that she had idly put in her mouth. She told no one about it. Within weeks, she began showing health symptoms that drastically worsened over the course of some months until an x-ray showed the screw in a lower lobe of her left lung. She was referred to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, for removal of the screw. Post-surgery, her father entered her recovery room and held the extracted screw up for her to see, asking, “Ya recognize this, sister?”
At the age of nine, while attending a church service in Glasgow, Dorothy suddenly found herself “speaking in tongues”. This profound experience would prove foundational to a spiritual quest which would last the rest of her life. She worshipped with various Christian denominations before she finally chose the Church of Christ, which she preferred for its literalist biblical teachings.
Dorothy graduated from high school in 1952 and began working at various jobs to support her independence. In 1957, she met a young Air Force Sergeant from Missouri named Robert Swagerty, of whom she became quite fond. They were married in August of 1958.
In 1959, Bob and Dorothy’s first son Kevin was born. A second son, Shawn, was born in 1961.
The Swagertys moved around the country, as Bob’s military assignments took the family to New Mexico, Wisconsin (an idyllic time, until Bob was sent to Thailand for a year), and Alexandria, Virginia, where Bob finished his Air Force career in 1971.
The family then moved back to Montana, this time to Havre. Shortly thereafter, some of Dorothy’s siblings and their families also moved to Havre, much to Dorothy’s delight.
Dorothy worked a few different jobs in Havre, her last as a cashier at Western Drug. She was naturally cheerful and always greeted customers with a smile.
Dorothy liked being a mom. When her sons started grade school, she would include cheery notes written on paper napkins in their lunch boxes. On Bob’s suggestion, she taught both boys to draw, a pastime which both pursued for some years. She supported her sons in all of their activities, often cheering on Kevin’s little league teams with shouts of, “Come on! Let’s get a little Bingo!”
She carried the colorful vernacular of her youth into her adulthood. If she glanced at her watched and realized she was running late, she would declare, “I better get a wiggle on!”
When she became a grandmother, she doted on her grandchildren at every opportunity. In the 1980s, Dorothy discovered genealogy and spent many hours among microfilm reels and Soundex records at the Havre Public Library. She compiled an overstuffed binder, containing not only charts of her family’s history, but also family and ancestral photos, stories, and even recipes. Her genealogical research was thorough and rigorous.
Following the death of her son Kevin in 2018 and her husband Bob in 2020, Dorothy remained in Havre for a few more years, enjoying the company of her friends and remaining family, as well as her son Shawn’s visits from Portland every few months.
In May 2024, Dorothy moved to Vancouver, Washington, to be closer to Shawn. She was quick to make friends in her retirement community and enjoyed much conversation and laughter with them as well as with her son Shawn and his wife Heather. Dorothy loved her life and felt she had gone on a wonderful journey. She expressed gratitude each day.
Dorothy is survived by her son, Shawn (Heather) of Portland, OR; her sister, Betty Fuhrmann of Spokane, WA; three grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Swagerty; her son, Kevin Swagerty; her parents, Merritt and Nellie Robbins; and siblings, Patsy Horne, Mary Hanson, and Edward, Donald, Arnold, and Robert Robbins.
Cremation has taken place, and memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 19, 2026, at Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel, followed by a graveside service in Highland Cemetery, with Pastor Rick Hodshire officiating
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