Obituary of William Arthur [Bill] Swick
Newspaper: Anchorage Daily News (AK)Published Date: 27 Sep 2011
WILLIAM ARTHUR SWICK JR.
Oct. 23, 1922 ~ Sept. 15, 2011
Former Anchorage resident, William ("Bill") Arthur Swick, Jr., age 88, died September 15, 2011, in Ocala, FL.
Bill was born October 23, 1922, in Tarentum, PA, to William Arthur Swick, Sr., and Jean Norris Whitehead. He graduated from Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, and received his Master's Degree from Syracuse University in New York.
Bill served in the Navy and Army during WWII as a communications specialist in the Philippines, "rising", as he would say, to the rank of Private First Class.
On January 2, 1943, Bill married Dorothy Ella Huston. In 1950, they moved to Skagway, Alaska, where Bill taught band, history, and english at the high school and also longshored. He served two terms on the Skagway City Council. Over the years in Skagway, Bill and Dorothy made lifelong friends and enjoyed raising their family.
In 1957, they relocated to Seward where Bill continued as a high school teacher. Upon arriving in Seward, Bill formed "Donna, Marty, and Bill" with Donna and Marty Kowalski -- a musical group where Bill played trumpet. The group played gigs together for over 40 years in south central Alaska; they took great pleasure in being featured as the "Blooming End" in the Seward Fourth of July parades.
As a teacher, Bill didn't merely teach his students curriculum -- he taught them to think critically and objectively. He imbued in his students tolerance and a sense of fairness.
Bill retired from teaching in 1962 when he moved his family to Anchorage. Although he worked for the Alaska Disaster Office and the University of Alaska until his retirement in 1975, music was his passion. For more than 20 years, he was the leader (and band boy) of "Young at Heart," a group featuring the big band sound. Young at Heart played at the Anchorage Senior Center weekly for many years; they played for dinner parties, weddings, at the Alaska SeaLife Center Opening, and for many of the Governor's Inaugural balls. Bill kept the big band sound alive in Anchorage for many.
Bill was an Elder in the Presbyterian Church. He was also a charter member of the Lion's Clubs in Skagway, Seward, and the Anchorage Senior Center. At the Senior Center Lion's Club, he enjoyed making the "bread run." This involved picking up the day-old bakery goods from Carrs and delivering it to Beans CafĂ, the Anchorage Rescue Mission, and other shelters. He often took his grandchildren with him on these runs, teaching them many things along the way.
He never missed a grandchild's event, whether at school, band, karate or just coming for a dinner. He was patient, kind, intelligent, encouraging, witty, and devoted to his family; but, most of all, he had a million dollar smile that he flashed all the time. He was an eternally happy, bubbly character.
Bill was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Dorothy, and his sister Virginia Hardy.
He is survived by son William A Swick, III, and daughter-in-law Mary of Bellevue, NE; daughter Donna Bradham and son-in-law Ed of Hanahan, SC; son James Michael "Mike" Swick and daughter-in-law Reycel of Wiesbaden, Germany; daughter Diane Adriaenssens and son-in-law Karl of Ocala, FL; daughter Debby Schrader and son-in-law David of Anchorage; and daughter Denys "Honeygirl" Hair of Charleston, SC. Bill leaves 14 grandchildren: Susan Nigro; Kristin Taylor; Lauren Swick; Valerie Glessner; Shay Rockhold; Michael Parker; Lance Swick; Dawn Young; Michael Kirsch; Alyson, Sara and Tyler Adriaenssens; and Briggs and Christopher Hair. He also leaves 10 great-grandchildren. Services will be at Rabbit Creek Community Church, 3401 Rabbit Creek Rd., Saturday, October 1 at 11 a.m., with a celebration of life reception following the service. Inurnment and graveside military ceremony will be at 2 PM, Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to charities of choice in lieu of flowers.
Visit the online memorial at legacy.com
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