GLOUCESTER: Howard J. Swinson, 81, died Thursday, February 14, 2008 in the Edith Nourse Rogers Veterans Hospital in Bedford following an extended illness. He was the husband of Virginia F. (Rowe) Swinson.
Born in Gloucester on September 3, 1926, he was the son of the late Ludwig and Leah (McCarthy) Swinson. He was a graduate of the Gloucester public schools and was a lifelong resident of Gloucester. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran of World War II, he served on Tinian and Saipan, the Marshall Islands and was wounded in Okinawa. A Purple Heart recipient, he was honorably discharged at the rank of Corporal in January of 1946.
He was employed as a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Gloucester for thirty years before retiring in 1986. He also once worked at Gorton’s and the former Birdseye for many years.
A member of the Dory Plugs, he played guitar and sang Irish music at Cameron’s on St. Patrick’s Day. The group also donated their time at local nursing homes and for various veterans’ organizations. He was also a longtime member of the Gloucester Lodge of Elks No. 892.
Always active, he enjoyed playing softball and volleyball and bowled into his fifties. In retirement, he enjoyed golfing with his brothers. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
In addition to his wife of sixty-one years, he is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Lynne and Russell Graham of Reading, three sons and two daughters-in-law, Glenn and Kim (Hadank) Swinson of Manchester, NH, Tim Swinson of Westford and Jack and Laura (Hawks) Swinson of Rowley, eight grandchildren, Lisa Trepaney, Laura Graham, Corey, Garret, Conor, Meara, Erika and Leah Swinson, four sisters, Edith Hildonen, Gloria Madruga, Phyllis Levie and Mary Lane, two brothers, Kenneth and Harold Swinson and many nieces and nephews. He was also predeceased by a sister, Hazel Swinson.
His funeral services will be held on Tuesday in the Seaside Cemetery, Gloucester at 11 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Monday in the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester from 5 – 8 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, 311 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472.