Michael Van Swearingen, 89, of Portsmouth, passed away on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at Hill View. Mike was born on July 17, 1936, in Portsmouth, a son of the late John Lawrence and Hilda Mae Welty Swearingen.
A 1954 Portsmouth High School graduate, Mike was an ardent Trojan basketball and football fan. He was a member of the Men’s Varsity Basketball Team under coach George Heller.
Mike was also an accomplished bowler, being the first bowler in the Portsmouth area to throw multiple perfect 300 games and the first to roll an 800 series. He won numerous Portsmouth City bowling titles, and Ohio regional titles. In 1972, Mike and his good friend, Jim Hufferd, won the Elks National Doubles Championship, and Mike also carried home the All Events title that year as well. He is a member of both the Portsmouth Bowling Hall of Fame and Ohio State Bowling Association Hall of Fame. Mike also served as president of the Ohio State Bowling Association. He was an avid golfer who loved to spend many a Saturday and Sunday afternoon golfing at the Elks Country Club.
Mike was a 50-year member of the Portsmouth Elks Club where he served for 38 years as Club Secretary. Mike was also a Master Mason of Aurora Masonic Lodge F&AM, and a member of Second Presbyterian Church.
Having received a Banking Certificate from Ohio University, Mike worked as a loan officer at the former Security Central Bank, at Bank One, and as an assistant vice president at Chase Bank over his 41-year banking career.
On August 5, 1956, Mike married Judith Ann Freeland Swearingen in Portsmouth. At the time of her passing on July 10, 2014, the couple had been married for 57 years.
Surviving is his son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Jeffrey V. & Ann Swearingen of Greenville, SC; two grandchildren, Bethany (John) Eyerman, and Tyler Snider; and nine great-grandchildren.
Mike was also preceded in death by two half-siblings, James Swearingen and Jean Woods.
Funeral services will be held at 11 A.M. on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at the Ralph F. Scott Funeral Home in Portsmouth Rev. Allison T. Bauer officiating and interment in Memorial Burial Park.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Monday from 5 to 7 P.M. and from 10 A.M. until the service hour on Tuesday. A Masonic Service will be held at the funeral home on Monday at 7 P.M. conducted by the Aurora Masonic Lodge.
Memorial contributions may be made to the SSU Foundation at 940 2nd Street, Portsmouth, OH 45662 or online at https://bit.ly/SSUBowlingDonation.
