Dr. Kenneth Roberts "Bob" Swinford

SWINFORD,

KENNETH ROBERTS, 97

Gainesville - Dr. Kenneth Roberts "Bob" Swinford of Gainesville, died on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at The Malcolm J. Randall V.A. hospital. He was 97.

Dr. Swinford was born in Trader's Point, Ind. and came here to join the staff of the University of Florida's new School of Forestry as a Teaching Fellow in 1937. He was a 1937 graduate of Purdue University, where he was President of the Forestry Club, member of honorary fraternities Xi Sigma Pi (Forestry) and Alpha Zeta (Agriculture) and Alpha Gamma Rho social fraternity. He received his M.S. in Forestry from the University of Florida in 1948 and the PhD (Forest Resources Management) from the University of Michigan in 1960. He served in the Armed forces in the South Pacific Theatre during WWII and retired from the Army Reserve with the rank of Colonel (Artillery) in 1976.

He was a professor of forest management at the University of Florida when he retired with Professor Emeritus status in 1976. During his tenure at the University of Florida, he became a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Sigma honorary fraternities, served a term as National President of Xi Sigma Pi honorary, was a charter member (and later Chairman) of 5-man Florida Board of Registration for Foresters, served as Chairman of the Florida Chapter of the Southeastern Section of American Forestry Association, was a consultant with the Tennessee Valley Authority and was the representative for two of the American Forestry Association's "Trail Rides Into the Wilderness". After retirement, he worked as an independent forest consultant and also was an associate consultant with F&W Forestry in Albany, Georgia and Woodland Managers, Inc. of Lake City, Florida. He also served a term as a member of the Advisory Board of the Lake City Forest Ranger School. He was inducted into the Florida Society of American Foresters Hall of Fame on November 4, 2004.

He was affiliated with various Methodist churches in Gainesville for many years. In his elder years, he fellowshipped with various Presbyterian churches and was a member of Faith Presbyterian Church at the time of his passing.

Dr. Swinford was preceded in death by his parents, George and Fern Swinford; his first wife, Mickey Swinford and daughter,Dr. Sandra Swinford Diaz. He is survived by his wife, Lois Butler Swinford; son, George W. Swinford, children, Thomas M. Smith, Susan E. Beverung (John); grandchildren, Kenneth Arthur Swinford, Daniel Patrick Diaz, Jennifer Marie Diaz-Wicke (Craig) and Catherine Pilar Diaz; his great-grandchildren, Julia Wicke, Kinsley Wicke, and Isla Herring; as well as his grandchildren and great-grandchildren through marriage, Travis Smith, Cody Smith, Sean Beverung, and Bailey Nicole Smith.

Funeral Services for Dr. Bob Swinford will be held Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at 4:00 pm at Milam Funeral Home Chapel, Gainesville, with family receiving visitors one hour prior to the service. Interment will take place at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, on Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at 10:00 am, with full Military Honors. The family request that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to American Red Cross, 1425 NW 6th St., Gainesville, FL 32601.

Arrangements are under the care of MILAM FUNERAL AND CREMATION SERVICES, 311 Main Street, Gainesville, FL 32601. 352-376-5361.