Kenneth Lamar Swanson

1930 - 2010

Kenneth Lamar Swanson of Prescott and Yuma AZ, formerly of Jamestown, New York, died at home December 12, 2010 after a short battle with lung cancer. He was born July 7, 1930 in Washington DC, the son of Arthur Ivan Swanson Sr and Evelyn Ingeborg (Nelson) Swanson.
The family moved to Jamestown, New York where he was raised and attended Jamestown public schools. Mr. Swanson served in the U.S. Naval Reserve from 1951 - 1958. While a resident of Jamestown he was employed in service and sales occupations, and in the construction community where he was manager of Jamestown Overhead Door Company. While in Jamestown, he was extremely active with the local Junior Chamber of Commerce and its various charitable endeavors. He held many Jaycee board of director positions, including the Jamestown Sesqui-Centennial celebration, Midget Football, the Jaycee clowns, and the Chautauqua County Airshow at the (then) Jamestown Municipal Airport. He was an avid photographer recognized with many local awards and was a photographic contributor to the Jamestown Post-Journal newspaper. In 1969 he relocated to Yuma AZ and was again employed in the building and construction trades as the manager of Owl Electric; served the Yuma County Assessor's office; and was the founder and owner of the Yuma Overhead Door Company. Upon retirement in 1992 he established a second residence in Prescott AZ and split time between the two homes.
Ken was an adventurist and could be found many weekends parasailing in the desert, riding all terrain cycles in the sand dunes west of Yuma, or on a sailboat on the lake at Senator Wash. He was active with the Yuma CB club and held many club volunteer positions. However, his real passion was aviation, especially flying sailplanes, a love he successfully passed on to his children and grandchildren. He was a licensed pilot, a longtime member of the Soaring Society of America, a sailplane owner, and a board of director member of both the Yuma Soaring Association and the Prescott Soaring Society. He was a past president of the PSS. He was also active in the Yuma Council of the Navy League.
Ken was preceded in death by his parents and an infant son, Randall Stephen Swanson.
Ken is survived by a son, Lt. Col. U.S.A.F. (Ret) Thomas Swanson (Marcia Myers) of Seaford, Virginia; a daughter Rebecca Lyons (Jeffrey) of Sharpsburg, Georgia; three grandchildren, 2Lt U.S.M.C. Nathaniel Swanson (Natalya Trowbridge) of Milton, Florida, Geoffrey Swanson of Newport News Virginia, and 2Lt U.S.A.F. Nicholas Swanson of Del Rio, Texas; a brother Arthur Ivan Swanson Jr (Joanne) of Yuma, a sister Lois Highfill (Charles) of Prescott Arizona, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A graveside memorial service and interment will be held on Saturday, March 12, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at the Desert Lawn Memorial Park in Yuma followed by a family reception.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made in Ken's name to: Children's Heart Center, Phoenix Children's Hospital, 1919 East Thomas Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85016, (602) 546-GIVE. www.phoenixchildrens.com/ ways-of-giving/make-a-gift/give-in-memory-honor/
Or Soaring Society of America Eagle Fund, P.O. Box 2100, Hobbs, NM 88241-2100, 575-392-1177, www.ssa.org . Please sign the guestbook at www.yumasun.com/obituaries