Aaron Funeral Swan

PIERRE - Aaron Swan,90, of Pierre died on Saturday, November 15 at the Scotchman Living Center in Philip SD. A visitation will be held from 3-5pm on Sunday, November 23 at Isburg Funeral Chapel in Pierre with a prayer service starting at 5pm. A funeral service will be held at 10am on Monday November 24 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Pierre with burial at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, SD.

Aaron Swan was born October 27, 1935 at the Indian Health Service Hospital in Rosebud, SD. He is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. At an early age, he was adopted by his aunt Christine Swan and her husband David Swan of Cherry Creek, SD on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. Upon reaching school age he entered the first grade at Cherry Creek Day School. His family later moved to Dupree, Cheyene Agency, Rapid City and finally to Pierre, South Dakota. He attended the public-school systems at these locations and graduated from Pierre High School in 1954.

While attending South Dakota State University he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1958 and completed his active-duty obligation in 1960. During his active-duty time, he was stationed in Ft. Carson, Colorado; Ft. Ord, California and Ft. Benning, Georgia. Most of his active-duty time was spent at Ft. Benning where he was assigned to the Infantry School Brigade whose mission it was to train infantry officers. His duties here required that he have a security clearance for which he applied for and was granted for the duration of his active-duty time. Upon completion of his active reserve and inactive reserve obligation, he received his Honorable Discharge from the U.S. Army. Aaron is presently a member of Pierre SD American Legion Post 8 where he presently serves on the Executive Committee as Member At Large. He is also a member of Disabled American Veterans Oahe Chapter 18, Pierre SD where he presently serves as Adjunct.

Following the completion of his active-duty military obligation he returned to SDSU to continue his studies and received his Bachelor of Science Civil Engineering degree in the Spring of 1962. He has fond memories of basketball, football, Hobo Day and other activities during his college years at SDSU. During the Spring of his senior year, he took and passed the South Dakota Board of Engineering & Architectural Examiners Engineer in Training exam and was awarded his EIT certificate.

In the off time during Aaron's college years, he was employed by Oahe Dam contractors building the tunnels, shafts and stilling basin on the West side of the Missouri River. He worked for the engineering department as a shift engineer keeping the mining machine on line and grade as well providing other engineering duties. He also worked as survey crew chief for road construction of the recreation area on the downstream side of the stilling basin channel. During the Sommer of 1961, Aaron worked for a concrete contractor who installed the foundations for high steel electric transmission lines at the East side of the Oahe Dam and also for a high steel electric transmission line in North Dakota parallel to I-94. His duties for this concrete contractor included survey work as well as serving as foreman for this crew whose job it was to prepare the foundations for concrete pours. Because of the responsibilities involved these positions, they were well paid which was helpful for college expenses. This construction experience was also helpful in his future role as a structural design engineer.

Following graduation from SDSU he was employed by the South Dakota Department of Transportation until 1975. During this employment he served two years n the Platte SD field office as a project engineer and in the remaining eleven years he served with the Bridge Division office in Perre SD. During his time with the Bridge Division, he served as assistant bridge designer, bridge designer and finally as acting chief structural designer. While employed by the SDDOT he participated in the design of numerous bridge and drainage structures throughout the state of South Dakota.

In 1975 Aaron resigned from the SDDOT and founded Aaron Swan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm based in Pierre SD. The firm expanded over the years to also include architectural, surveying and construction materials testing. The professional design and construction phase services provided by this firm include, but not limited to, the following types of projects: bridges, bridge safety inspections, roads, streets, dams, housing developments and schools. The work was mostly completed in the Midwest United States. Aaron established the construction materials testing department in 1994. It provided quality control services for major asphalt surfing contractors in South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana. The testing lab also provided concrete mix designs for concrete contractors for major projects on I-29 and I-90 in South Dakota. The SDDOT presented certificates to the testing lab for its role in providing a high-quality product on numerous projects throughout South Dakota. The independent testing lab was certified by various government agencies and was considered one of the premier construction testing labs in the Midwest.

In 1968 Aaron took and passed the South Dakota Board of Engineering & Architectural Examiners Professional Engineer exam and received a certificate in the Civil Engineer-Structural category. Subsequently he was licensed to practice as a professional engineer in North Dakota, Montana, and Utah.

His professional affiliations include being a member of the Central Chapter of the South Dakota Engineering Society for which he served many years as Secretary and during which time he also served as Chairman of the MATHCOUNTS Committee. In 1985 the Central Chapter of the South Dakota Engineering Society selected Aaron as the outstanding engineer of the year and presented him with a certificate. He was also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers for which he is presently a life member.

On October 27, 1991, which was Aaron's 56th birthday, Governor George Mickelson proclaimed that day as Aaron Swan Day in South Dakota with the proclamation presented to him by Francis Whitebird who was Director of the South Dakota Department of Tribal Affairs. The proclamation said in part that Aaron had "devoted his life to the betterment of his community....has always answered the call and has given much to South Dakota during his lifetime."

After a successful career of providing professional services for 57 years, 13 years with State government and 44 years in private practice, Aaron sold his business to two longtime employees and retired in 2019.

The firm's success over 44 years created wealth which enabled Aaron to endow a scholarship to American Indian students at SDSU. The creation of the scholarship is s "Giving back to the University" also known as "Paying it forward." Aaron's generosity enables qualifying current and future American Indian students to pursue an education in the field to which he devoted his life. The education will empower the students for future success just as it empowered Aaron's success.

SDSU is well known for its ability to transform lives which is demonstrated by Aaron's humble beginnings followed by SDSU education which made possible a successful professional career.

In addition to facing the challenges in establishing a successful consulting business, Aaron never lost sight of his passion to improve the well-being of Indian people. Aaron was chosen to serve as the Chairman of the South Dakota Urban Indian Health (SDUIH) board in 1982. The demands of the Chairmanship position required extensive time devoted to meetings, business trips outside the State, and networking with Federal officials to ensure budgets supported the critical services needed for Urban natives living in South Dakota. Aaron and the Board of Directors worked hard to ensure that not only budgetary matters were addressed so critical services were provided, but also the services were of high quality as attested by the AAAHC (Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care) accrediting agency. After 37 years of providing this leadership, Aaron resigned from the SDUIH Board of Directors in February 2019.

On October 27, 2025, Aaron's 90th birthday, South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden, proclaimed October 27, 2025 Aaron Absolam Swan Day in recognition of his life, achievements, successes, and contributions to his community and beyond. Surviving Aaron is his beloved wife, Ironis Poppe Swan, his sister Shirley J. Haynes, nieces Holliday Haynes, Stephanie Addington, Roxanne McDaniel (BJ McDaniel). Cousins Robyn Claymore (Grady), EvAnn White Feather, JonniGail White Feather, Tyson Thompson, Lindell High Bear, Donna Straighthead, Karla Abbot, Glenda Bruch, Misty Bruch, Majestic Ketah, and many extended family members, dear friends, Don Lee, Randy & Peggy LeBeau, Ron Le Beau, Meg Ryland and many, many friends, colleagues and community members. Aaron is pre-deceased in life by his dear mother Christine Paterson Swan, father David Swan, cousins Virginia White Feather, Ron Eagle Chasing, Pat Eagle Chasing, Narcisse Eagle Chasing.