David Sidney Swan Jr.

1930 - 2018

David Sidney Swan, Jr.

- - David Sidney Swan, Jr. (88) was born April 15, 1930 and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana to Carra Vesta Swan (nee Sistrunk) and David Sidney Swan, Sr. He and his wife, Mina Swan, died suddenly September 29, 2018 in Clearwater, Florida. Dave is predeceased by sister Martha Nell Bonnette of Shreveport, and grandson Cameron Metz of Oregon. Cherished brother to Dorothy Fay Callen (James "Shay") of Homer, and Brenda Dianne Stetler (Kevin) of Shreveport; loving father of David A. Swan, Sr. of Illinois, Steven Swan (Lori) of Illinois, Janet Lowrey (Daniel) of Oregon, and Julia Baginskis (Steven) of Illinois. Dave was proud of his grandchildren David A. Swan, Jr. (Kari) of Indiana, Linda Swan Ponce of Indiana, Sheri Swan of Illinois, Jordan Metz of Washington, Chris Fraher of Oregon, and Johanna Baginskis of Illinois. Dave is also survived by 15 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Dave attended Shreveport public schools, graduating from Fair Park High School. Dave enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1948. He served on the USS Sperry AS-12 and the USS Chanticleer ASR-7. After the Navy, he worked for Swift & Company in Chicago and Cincinnati, meeting his first wife Evva Sorensen in Chicago. Dave also worked for Peat Marwick Mitchell and was a runner at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, in his early Chicago days. Dave's ambition (and Evva's insistence), earned him a Bachelors of Business Administration from Northwestern University. He then became a CPA and established the Homewood, IL office of Christy & Swan, Ltd. Dave was an active businessman, co-founding the Community Bank of Homewood-Flossmoor, and was active in Rotary International and Toastmasters. He and Evva raised their four children in Homewood.

Dave moved to Clearwater, Florida in the early 1980s and set up a tax practice there until his retirement. He married Mina Wolf (nee Heschum), in 1999. David lived life to the absolute fullest, sharing his adventures with his wife, his children and grandchildren. With the trail name Twinkletoes, he completed the Appalachian Trail in 2002, more than half of it with his wife, whose trail name was Artsy. A private pilot, he enjoyed flying his family to Louisiana, Missouri, around Pike's Peak, to Monument Valley and into the Grand Canyon, among other places. He and Mina were avid bird watchers throughout their world travels, which included most of the United States and Europe, China, Chile, Argentina, the Panama Canal, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Dave recently attained the level of Ruby Life Master in Bridge, and he and Mina were also members of the St. Petersburg Astronomy Club. His children remember him as a sailor, fisherman, scuba diver, ballroom and square dancer, whistler, ice- and roller-skater, spelunker, author, yodeler, patent holder, and unicyclist. But most of all they will remember his zest for life.

Services have already been held. Donations may be made in Dave and Mina's memory to the St. Petersburg Astronomy Club, Dark Sky Site Clubhouse Building Fund: Stpeteastronomyclub.org, or your favorite charity.