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Leslie was born September 1, 1969, in Anamosa, Iowa, to proud parents, Paul and Linda. Her first four years were spent in Ames, Iowa, while Dad finished his DVM at Iowa State University. She became proud big sister to her brother, Aaron, in 1972.

Even with many family moves, Leslie's quick smile, curly hair, outgoing personality and ability to fit in helped her adapt and make friends easily. She enjoyed cooking and baking for her family.

She graduated from Fremont (NE) High School. Her love of music included French horn and piano, making her Dad's favorite accompanist and leading her to a summer tour with the Continentals, a Christian music ministry outreach. Always independent, she was not bothered by being away from home or the adventure of international travel.

A love for children led her to families in Boston, MA, and Omaha, where she served as a nanny. But Leslie's natural aptitude for medicine drew her first to earn her EMT certification, then to Creighton University to certify as a paramedic. As opportunities arose, she also worked in hospital labs, health counseling, insurance and related medical fields.

She married Robert Taylor of Fremont in 1996 and was blessed to be "Mom" to Megan Taylor (Oklahoma City, OK) and Allison Taylor of Fremont. They were later divorced.

In 2011, Leslie married Greg Swartz of Fullerton, NE. Leslie had fond memories of her times on the farm with her grandparents and it seems both marriages - to farmers - were shaped by the life she had come to love.

Her greatest challenge was her health. Over the decades, those challenges only increased. But there was never a complaint. She endured her life with courage and strength, passing quietly into the Lord's hands.

She leaves her husband, Greg; parents, Paul and Linda; daughters, Megan and Allison Taylor; her sister-in-law, Amy; and many beloved family and friends.

Leslie was preceded in death by three sets of loving grandparents and her brother, Aaron.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at the Fremont Alliance Church from 5pm to 7pm. The memorial service will be 10am, Friday, April 10 at the Fremont Alliance Church. Memorials may be directed to the Music Ministry at the Fremont Alliance Church or the Fremont Evangelical Free Church.

Ludvigsen Funeral Home in service to the family.

In Loving Memory of Leslie Lynn (Von Behren) Swartz

September 1, 1969 ~ March 29, 2026

Memorial Service 10am Friday, April 10, 2026 Fremont Alliance Church, Fremont, Nebraska. Officiating clergy: Rev. Jeremy Stine and Rev. Ryan Miller. Congregational Hymns: "Amazing Grace", "It is Well With My Soul"--Tim Howard, Music Leader.

Committal (private) Telbasta Cemetery

A Word to Those Who Loved Her

Leslie’s life was marked, from its very beginning, by faith in Jesus Christ. That faith was not something she inherited passively or wore on occasion. It was the quiet, steady foundation beneath everything—her courage through illness, her warmth toward strangers, her peace at the end.

She would want this moment—when her family and friends are gathered, when life feels fragile and eternity feels close—to count for something more than grief alone.

So here it is plainly and warmly, just as Leslie would have said it: God loves you. He sent His son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for every wrong thing you have ever done. Jesus died, and He rose again. And He offers forgiveness and eternal life as a gift—not earned, not complicated, not reserved for those who have it figured out or try to earn it.

A three-year-old received it. That tells you everything about what God requires.

If you have never placed your trust in Christ—or if you have drifted and need to return—today is a good day. You can simply tell Him so, in your own words. Acknowledge that you need Him. Believe that He is who He said He is. Receive the life He offers.

Leslie spent her years pointing, quietly and consistently, toward that door. She is through it now.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”—John 3:16

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”

~~~obituary and funeral leaflet courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings and leaflets on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska~~~

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