Omar Kenneth “Sonny” Swope

Published 10:19 am Friday, February 11, 2022

Our beloved father, Omar Kenneth “Sonny” Swope, 85, of Orange, TX, rejoined his loved ones on February 8, 2022, passing away at his home in Vinton, Louisiana.

Visitation will be held Sunday, February 13, 2022, at Claybar Funeral home at 504 N. 5th Street in Orange, TX from 2:30 – 4:30 pm followed immediately by a service from 4:30 – 5:30 pm.

Sonny was born in Edinburg, Mississippi on June 23, 1936, the third of four children of Iva and Frank Swope.  A graduate of Edinburg High School, he attended Mississippi State University, moving to Orange in 1956.

He worked for the Gulf Oil Companies for over 30 years before retiring in 1991 as well as operating Swope’s Tropical Fish. An avid Cowboys fan, wine maker, lover of nature and a lifelong hunter and fisherman, Sonny tirelessly served many organizations including St. Mary’s School; The Boy Scouts of America Three Rivers Council and Troop 1 and the Order of the Arrow; Orange County Youth Soccer; and the Gulf Oil Employee’s Recreational Association (GERA).  He served as a commissioner of the Orange County Navigation & Port District in the 1990’s.

Sonny was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, James Swope of Edinburg, Mississippi and Ted Swope of Cedartown, Georgia.

Sonny is survived by his sister Betty Langston, of Edinburg, Mississippi and his seven children:  Michael Swope (Shurla) of Orange, Texas; Stephanie Bingham of Vinton, Louisiana (Paul); Laura McHugh of Sulphur, Louisiana; Dana Swope of Dallas, Texas; Mandy Hernandez of Sulphur, Louisiana (Rene); Andy Swope of Wortham, Texas (Dena); and Erick Swope of Orange, TX; eighteen grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Mary Catholic School at 2600 Bob Hall Rd, Orange, TX 77630.