ROBERT WILLIAM SWAIN

1952 - 2018

SWAIN, Robert William "Bob" Of Burlington, MA, most beloved husband of Marie (St. Amand) Swain for more than 35 years, passed away peacefully on June 17, 2018, surrounded by family after a long courageous fight battling Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia also known as HSP. Born in Medford, MA, he grew up in Wellesley and Swampscott. Bob studied Mechanical Engineering at Lowell University and worked for several large corporations including Wang Labs, Osram Sylvania, and Panasonic Technologies as an Electro Mechanical Engineer. His real passion was flying. Bob was the happiest when spending time at New England-Glider-port in Salem, NH where he obtained his commercial glider pilots license. He most enjoyed taking friends and family up for rides. He later received his private power rating pilot's license. His other love and passion was his devoted service dog named "Waldo." Bob loved talking about NEADS, the non-profit organization located in Princeton, MA which trains World Class Service Dogs. Bob and Waldo are featured in a chapter of the book, "Another Language." In addition to his wife, he also leaves behind a sister, Donna Swain of Orange, MA; two brothers, Richard Swain and his wife Donna of Salem, NH and John Swain of Beverly, MA; and brother-in-law Gerard St. Amand and his wife Lynne of Merrimack, NH. He leaves nieces, Mary Swain of Salem, NH, Daniele St. Amand of Albuquerque, NM, and Larissa Hebert and her husband Joseph of Nashua, NH; and two nephews, Thomas Swain of Salem, NH and Garrett St. Amand of Newport, RI. Bob's family would like to thank all the Doctors and medical personnel of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Chestnut Hill, Lahey Clinic Hospital in Burlington, MA, and Lahey Health at Home Hospice Care. Also, a special thank you to his long term CNA, Ms. Theresa Bennett. Funeral from the McDonald-Finnegan Funeral Home, 322 Main St., STONEHAM on Thursday at 9am followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Patrick Church, 71 Central St., Stoneham at 10 o'clock. Visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the Funeral Home on Wednesday from 4-7pm. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, Spastic Paraplegia Foundation, 1605 Goularte Place, Fremont, CA 94539-7241 or to NEADS, 305 Redemption Rock Trail, Princeton, MA 01541. For obit/directions/guestbook, www.mcdonaldfs.com