Theodore Perry Swanson

1922 - September 16, 2014

Theodore Perry Swanson Theodore (Ted) Perry Swanson, 92, passed away on Tuesday, September 16, 2014. Ted was born in Rocky Ridge, Washington in 1922, to John and Marie (Crosetto) Swanson. In 1931 his family moved to the Olympia area, where his father had purchased a Shell service station, and established the family home in South Bay. Ted graduated from Olympia High School in 1940, and in 1941 went to work for North American Aircraft in Long Beach, CA, building airplanes for shipment to England. Ted returned to Washington and enlisted in the Air Corp (Force) at the beginning of 1942. He served with an aerodrome squadron, where he received his pilot training and became a commissioned officer. He flew many different types of aircraft, including the B-17 and B-29. After the war, he worked for the Olympia Brewing Company until the 1960s, when he joined the newly emerging field of computer technology as a programmer and systems analyst for the State of Washington. He enjoyed the work until he retired in 1990 as a highly respected systems analyst programmer and office humorist. He married Irene Willis (divorced in 1965) and is survived by their four beloved children, Judith, Robert, Jeffrey, and Jennifer, who have in turn blessed him with a lifetime of jokes, projects, support and many grand-children and great-grandchil-dren. In 1971 he married Mary Jane (Hubbard) Hocking. They shared many adventures, projects, and everyday life for the next 43 years, doing just about everything together. They were true partners at all times. Her children, Kip, Marki and Tod, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were also his fans, and the sentiment was mutual. Ted had many talents besides being a pilot and knowing how to fix and build just about anything. He played the piano and accordian, and could sing and dance with the best. Ted was known for his wit and humor and loved to poke fun at the English language. No serious word was safe! He may have been Mr. Swanson, Theodore, Ted or Teddy, but to us, his four children, he will always be dad.