Obituary of Jack Swartz

Jack Swartz 9/22/1924 – 3/12/2009 Jack was born in Seattle on September 22, 1924 to Gladys (Flemming) and Hugh Swartz. He was the baby of the family, his sister Joyce having arrived three years earlier. Jack’s dad was an entrepreneur, opening the first Buick agency in Seattle and he also kept a large number of houseboats on Lake Union. He raised his family on Hunts Point on Lake Washington. Jack remembered his parents commuting back and forth from Hunts Point to Seattle on the ferry in those days. He also used to go to Kirkland by ferry to visit his grandparents. His German grandmother Katherine Swartz, doted on him and defended him against most any discipline and would allow no one to spank her “Jackie”. He used to talk fondly of the quilts she made him and all the delicious German food she prepared for him including his favorites--pickles and sauerkraut. Jack was also known for his superb dill pickles! Jack’s Irish grandmother, Julia and grandfather Jack Flemming lived in Tacoma and Jack loved to tell stories about the moonshine his grandfather made in the basement. He confessed that he and his cousins sampled it from time to time until his grandmother caught on and paddled them. He graduated from Seattle Prep High School and upon graduation joined the Army Air Corps, the forerunner of today’s United States Air Force. He completed his pilot training in Mississippi and attended Fordham University. After the war Jack married and began working for his father, running Roanoke Realty, the company Hugh formed to manage his houseboats and other properties. During the next 10 years Jack became the father of his first two children, Sharon and later, Jim. He divorced in 1956. In 1958 Jack married the love of his life Ardith Swain. Their son, Ken was born in 1962. In the late 60’s Jack’s father Hugh retired and left the real estate business. Jack began his career as a boilermaker and worked on many large projects including field jobs on the Alaska pipeline, Coal Plant in Colorado, Centralia Steam Plant and Grand Coulee Dam. He also helped put the shield around the torch on the Space Needle for the 1962 World Fair. Jack’s field work took him out of state for a few years but the family eventually moved to Tenino to look after Ardith’s parents. That was about 40 years ago they must have liked it there as they never left. Tenino is their true home and both Jack and Ardith became an integral part of the community. He was a member of the Tenino Masonic Lodge, Trinity Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, Tenino Lions Club and VFW. Ardith has held a number of important positions in Eastern Star and in 1997 the two of them were named by the Tenino Chamber of Commerce as Volunteers of the Year and honored at the annual Oregon Trails Day celebration as Grand Marshals of the parade. Jack was also an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Tenino. He was always cooking for some event and his clam chowder, chili and pickles were legendary. For many years he was the chief rangler, responsible for the horses at the Oregon Trails Day parade and he also always volunteered at the annual Blue Grass Festival in Tenino. Jack’s first love was his family and he never tired of talking about his children and grandchildren. He loved his dogs too and his last dog, Kayce will miss him terribly! He enjoyed football, boxing and car racing, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. He loved a good steak, buttermilk, John Wayne movies and collecting frogs but he was always happiest when he was in a boat—fishing. He enjoyed many fishing trips with his son-in-law Bob in later years on the Columbia and loved fishing at Westport with his buddy Glenn and other friends. Fishing truly was his life-long passion and he was still planning his next fishing trip shortly before he passed away. Jack passed peacefully on March 12, 2009 with his wife and best friend, Ardith, at his side. He is survived by his wife of almost 52 years, Ardith, daughter Sharon Stevens (Robert), Whidbey Island, son Jim Stanton (Myrna), Las Vegas, and son Ken Swartz (Kate), Bremerton. He is also survived by grandchildren Stephanie, Robyn, Cody, Kyle, Kelisha, Kendra, Karsten, Kloe, and Daneyll and great grandchildren Alexa, Haden, Ethan, Jude and Amaiah. A celebration of Jack’s life will take place Saturday, March 21st at 2:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 196 Central Ave. E, Tenino, WA 98589. Donations may be made to the charity of your choice.