Louis F. Swenke, 79, Crawfordsville, passed away 5:36 PM Wednesday at Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health in Crawfordsville.

Mr. Swenke served 20 years with the Crawfordsville Police Department from 1960-1980, retiring as a Detective Lieutenant. He served in the US Army from 1957-1959. He was a 1952 graduate of New Market High School. His memberships included Ben Hur Car Club, BPO Elks #483, F.O.P #90, Township Trustee board member and the Crawfordsville convention bureau. For the past 20 years he had distributed red ribbons for the D.A.R.E. Program throughout the county.

He was born on March 28th, 1934 in Indianapolis to Fred Karle and Frieda (Sommerfeld) Swenke. He married Norma Wray and she survives. Additional survivors include son, Jeff (Sheila) of Brownsburg, daughters, Beth (Mike) Page and Nancy (David) McGaughey, both of Crawfordsville, brother, Richard (Carol) of Danville, IN, sisters, Dorothy (Anders) Lundberg of Livermoore, CA and Carolynn (John) Mouat of Titusville FL. Also surviving are seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by a daughter, Karen, sisters, Gertrude, Mildred and Anna Louise and brothers, Herman and Carl.

Funeral services will be 11:00 AM Monday at Hunt & Son Funeral Home with Pastor Mark Roberts officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery North with military rites by the VFW and American Legion. Friends may call 2:00 PM-6:00 PM Sunday at Hunt & son Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the charity of the donor's choosing.