Adam Hamilton Swinson

Adam will be remembered as a man of great kindness and intelligence; a fighter for social justice; and a lover of travel, the arts, music, cooking, and his family. In his 53-years, Adam built an amazing life for himself and all those around him - a life full of love, loyalty, friendship, understanding, and positivity.

Adam Hamilton Swinson was born the youngest of six children to John Swinson, and he was the only child of his wonderful mother Margie Swinson (Concord, CA). He grew up in Pleasant Hill, CA, and Wonthaggi, Australia, in communities of love and protection.

During his youth, Adam formed friendships that would come to span miles and decades. He made connections that reached deep into his own heart and into those who were lucky enough to be counted as his friends. He went on hikes with his trusty dog Bailador and cared for the many cats he's loved and who are sure to be by his side now.

Throughout his life Adam truly followed his passions, so it was no surprise that he attended Otis Parsons School of Arts in L.A. and continued to paint, create collage, and block prints for his whole life. Adam's artwork brings dreamscapes to life, makes fantasies real, and somehow increases the beauty of our natural world with each brush stroke and in each of his landscape or floral paintings.

Adam was also an amazing cook and would lavish this skill on those he loved with meals made with divine ingredients and attention to every detail. He made special holiday dishes that he shared with those he loved and that they anticipated, enjoyed, and will now miss from now on.

Adam's warm and sensitive personality made it very easy to be with him and with his expansive intelligence, he made each conversation enjoyable, be it a discussion of the arts, music, world politics, cooking, beer making, history, cinema, our natural world, online gaming, natural events, or whatever you wanted to chat about. Among his favorite topics was sports, particularly his beloved 49ers and Giants. But when it came to football, he knew it all and over the years, won many a season of fantasy football leagues as a result.

In 1996, Adam met and fell in love with his one-true-love in the Valley of the Moon and once again followed his passion across the country to build a life with his wife (Michelle DuBois) in Brockton, Massachusetts. They shared a loving partnership in which Adam was a devoted, supportive, and a caring husband for 19 years.

While in Massachusetts, Adam worked in graphic design, printing, and marketing. He graciously volunteered his design services and his grassroots organizing advice, participating in social justice, environmental causes, and local political campaigns he found compelling. Adam's talents helped to make his chosen City of Brockton a better place by stopping environmental hazards, supporting the efforts of the Brockton NAACP, and so many other worthy endeavors, including the 10 successful political campaigns he ran for his wife as her Campaign Manager and Treasurer.

Always the dutiful son, in September of 2021, Adam returned to the Bay Area to care for his ailing mother. These years back in the Bay Area as the primary caretaker of his mother allowed Adam to reconnect with his lifelong childhood friends, something he cherished.

We all thought there would be many more tomorrows to share with our sweet Adam, but fate had different plans and Adam passed on unexpectedly in his sleep on April 4. He left us all much better to have known him and in complete sadness at his loss.

Adam leaves behind his wife, State Representative Michelle DuBois; his mother Marjorie Swinson; siblings Jennifer (Richard) Wilenken, Maryann (David) Schlemmer, and Paul (Adela) Swinson; and many grieving in-laws, nieces, nephews, and friends.

There will be two memorial services for Adam. A West Coast service will be held on Thursday, April 18, at 3:30 at the First Presbyterian Church: 1965 Colfax St, Concord, CA. The second service, to be held in Brockton, Massachusetts, will be planned in the coming months. Given his love for cats, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Adam's name to Standish Humane Society (https://www.standishhumane.org/donate).