William Gaines "Wogsy" Swanson

Dear Family and Friends,
William was a loving family man, who carried his cross for Jesus.  He dedicated his life to the Church and put family first and last.  
Please feel free to post your thoughts.
Love and Light in Christ,The Swansons

I never knew I was related to someone so extraordinary! (through a Brownlow by marriage to a Swanson)He accomplished all that we are called to do in life, make justice, and to love others. He is especially important to me because of my work in prison ministry for the diocese of Newark. May his memory live on in the good he has represented so beautifully.

I just learned of Wogsy's passing... May he rest in peace and rise in glory, and may you know the consolation and strength of God's love.

It was a pleasure and an honor to know William - He always had a kind word and a smile. Always ready to help in anyway he could. Mostly I love how he loved and cared for you Helene. I am so so saddened that you lost him so soon - but I am SO SO SO glad you had such a beautiful dance with him. I am grateful for his faith and love in the Lord. Love and blessings to you Helene, Harry, Bobby and George and all other family and friends.

William and I went to school together. He was such a kind, thoughtful person. We were on the swim team together, he was such a team player.

If I had to choose a word to describe him it would be pensive. He was a very deep person who never did anything halfway. He loved with his whole heart and did what he could to make this a better place.

Words cannot express how sorry I am for your loss Helene and for both of your families. I know he loved you very much, that was evident through his posts. Hoping that comforts you somewhat to know a very special person gave you his unconditional love.

Sending peace, prayers and comfort to all of you. You are not alone in your grief, we grieve with you.
Love, Norene

Love and thanks to you, Helene, and William, for taking Katrina's Dream to India, for living the Gospel message,
for feeding the hungry and being family to the homeless,
for your radiant love for each other and Christ in all beings. William spoke prophetically and simply from his wise eleven year old heart the night before the ordination to the priesthood of his mother and me and our nine other sister deacons, and helped us hold onto the courage we needed to stand up in the face of threats and say Yes all the way to God's clarion call for us to become priests, no matter what followed. William's lifelong faithfulness strengthened our own. For bearing witness as he did, William is always in my heart. I send you both love. Phil, my beloved husband and priest presenter that day, died suddenly at 37, and 20 years later we discovered the reason. His younger brother mentioned his death during a routine physical exam history, and his physician gave him a blood test which confirmed his hunch, that Phil had inherited a genetic clotting disorder from both parents. Though it changed nothing, it gave us a certain relief at last, after two decades, to understand how he left his body, so young and robust. My heart goes out to you in not knowing. Yet we live with the Great Mystery, indeed as servants of the Great Mystery, every day of our lives, and know deep down that All is Well. God bless you all through! And your family also . . .

William was a free spirit who had one foot in heaven his whole life. To sail the seas is like flying a starship; those who do cannot be bound by earthly things. Those of us who were touched by William were sprinkled with stardust; his compassion and care for wanderers and "misfits" was truly Christlike. God has taken him to the True North of the heart; he dances down the rivers of auroras. Good to be returning him to India, where the adventure began. Blessings.

I will never forget standing up with the two of you at Church in Sausalito. It was my birthday blessing and your anniversary I think? Anyway, you sandwiched me between you and the strength of your love for each other and the joy you were feeling flowed through my body. I always admired how the two of you were so obviously crazy about each other. I was saddened and shocked by the news of William's death. You are handling his death with grace and courage. He would be so proud. And know that I am, although I hardly knew him. My loss, very clearly, my loss.

William was a caring and giving person, and loving husband and father. He demonstrated great compassion to those whose lives he touched.

I knew William when he was a toddler in diapers playing in the mud with my son Scott. I knew his mother, Keppy, from when we were children. She would be so proud of him.

We have so many loving memories of William and his family. They were great friends. When I think of
all of them, I remember warmth, love and smiles.
We cherish the time we spent with the Swansons, and
feel blessed that they have been part of our lives.
With sadness, but with aappreciation and love,
From the Plesser Family

Found pics of teenage William: b&w photos from a visit with the family in NJ in the early 1980's. A blurry one,of George & William grinning, sparring on the couch.
Hello Katrina
Hello William

Wogsy, I was shocked and deeply saddened to learn of your passing.

My heart goes out to those you left behind, I know you'll be ok Bro.

..Loz

"easier said than done" to write something here.

goodbye William