Carleton B. Swift Jr.

SWIFT CARLETON BYRON SWIFT, JR. On January 24, 2012, Carleton Byron Swift, Jr., aka Swifty, Ronny, or Daddy-o, died peacefully at his residence in Washington, DC, surrounded by family. He was 92 years old. Born on July 4th, 1919, in Portland, OR, he spent his early years in Pasadena, CA, and his summers in Gloucester, MA. Son of Carleton Byron Swift and Lila Leonard, he was graduated from St. Marks School in Southborough, MA, in 1937, and from Harvard College in 1941. He worked briefly for Swift and Co., the family meatpacking business, and then joined the US Navy where he was an Attached Commander for PT Boats in the South Pacific. In 1944, he joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and worked in the China Theatre, then served in Intelligence Services in Washington, DC, the Middle and Far East, and Europe. He retired in 1974. "I had an interesting, varied, and satisfying career," he wrote. He described his role as being charged with "getting out of complicated and difficult situations gracefully." He was married three times, to Mary Davidson, Frances Patterson (deceased), and Patricia Waring. He will be missed by his surviving sisters, Josephine Boyer, Harriet Holdsworth, and Lila Monell, and by his children Carleton III, Isabel, William, Matthew, Liberty, their spouses, 12 grandchildren, his nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. His daughter Lila died in 1973. He rowed crew, loved sailing, tinkering and making things, was a Ham Radio pioneer, collector, and a trustee of the Washington Gallery of Modern Art and Corcoran Gallery of Art. He appreciated the joys of life until the end. A private memorial service will be held in Washington, DC, in February and in Gloucester, MA, this summer. His ashes will be buried in Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston, MA. Condolences or inquiries please contact fbo.cbs@aol.com. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Population Institute, (www.populationinstitute.org), 107 2nd St. NE, Washington DC 20002.