Leif Eric Swanson

1960 - 2021

Maple Falls - Our beloved husband, son, step-son, brother and uncle, Leif Eric Swanson, age 61, passed away October 4, 2021 while paragliding near Monroe, Utah.

Leif was born May 7, 1960 in Pasadena, California, a son of Eric and Jane Beaven Swanson, and was raised in Spokane, Washington. He graduated from Ferris High School in 1978, where he excelled at track and cross country, earning the nickname "The Horse". He attended the University of Washington where he competed on the cross country team and earned his BS in Forest Resources in 1982.

He met Heather Koon in Forks, Washington in May of 1986 and they were married May 18, 1996. Their 35 years together were filled with adventure, good friends, family, and far too many apples.

Leif was interested in trees of all kinds, and everything that Nature has to offer. He excelled at Alpine mountaineering and, when age and MS caught up with him, flying with Heather and many pilot friends over the peaks. He also enjoyed crushing hill climbs on his road bike (fearing always that he would get "chicked" by his bad-ass sister, Sara); birding; weather forecasting; wrangling his arboretum and orchard; and tending an impressive garden.

Leif loved a hard day's work, and had several careers including forestry work for the University of Washington, the U. S. Forest service, and various private landholders; wildland firefighting; cruising timber; building trails and bridges with South Fork and Twin Oaks Construction Companies; and habitat restoration for Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. His found his calling in 2002 when he became an ISA Certified Arborist and started Arborwright Tree Service, which thrived as a business but mainly served as an excuse to talk about trees with clients throughout western Washington. He gladly volunteered his arborist skills for various conservation and land management non-profits, and spent much time in trees at local flying sites hanging windsocks, installing weather stations and picking stranded gliders.

Leif loved to move across landscapes, noticing and appreciating the little things along the way. Together with his wife, Heather, and a wide variety of friends, he hiked the American deserts and climbed hundreds of alpine peaks throughout the USA, Canada, Patagonia and New Zealand. He rambled the brushy beachheads of the Pacific Coast and strode through thousands of miles of wild and commercial forests. He could run through the brush like a deer. He was an avid birder and it was with great joy that he joined the local raptors in flight, soaring wing on wing with them in his glider.

Leif had a highly inappropriate sense of humor, which may be missed by some. He was extremely forgiving, and (after emoting wildly) was incapable of holding a grudge. He was the most solid and loyal of friends, and a highly ethical person. He cared deeply for the nonhuman world and for Planet Earth. His goal in life was to be a good human and to plant trees. He left a small footprint on the Earth, but a giant size 12 White's Pac boot print on our hearts.

He is survived by the love of his life, Heather Koon Swanson of Maple Falls, Washington; his mother, Jane Beaven of Chatttaroy, Washington; his step-father, Dan Finn of Chattaroy, Washington; stepmother, JoAnne Swanson of Stanwood, Washington; sister, Sara Swanson and her husband, Mark Mone of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; sister-in-law: Holly Koon and her husband, Max Duncan of Maple Falls, Washington; nephews and niece: Eric Mone, Emily Mone and Aidan Duncan; aunts and uncles: Wini Dyer, Bill Swanson, Shirly Swanson and JoAnne Vest; as well as extended family throughout Washington, Oregon and the Midwest and friends too numerous to name, but know who they are.

He is preceded in death by his father, Eric D. Swanson; a sister, Ruth Swanson; his grandparents; and many adventuring and hardworking friends who walked the earth bravely and left it too early. Leif, you are in good company!

Leif firmly requested that there be no memorial service. There will be an informal gathering at a later date. Please plant or carefully tend a tree, and then drink a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in his honor.

Funeral directors: Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield and Salina, Utah.