Jerry M. Swain's Obituary
Jerry M Swain, 78, of Goodyear Arizona passed away on August 15, 2015. Jerry was born August 25, 1936 in Walla Walla, Washington.
Jerry was preceded in death by his loving wife Janice of 46 years in 2002, and his brother Lloyd in April 2015.
Jerry spent most of his formative years in Richland, Washington. He was confirmed and baptized in the Central United Protestant Church, and graduated from high school as a “Richland Bomber.”
Jerry earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington State University in Pullman while a member of the USAF Reserve Officer Training Corps program. Through the years Jerry also took the time to earn two different masters degrees, one in engineering and the second a MBA in Finance.
Jerry married Janice Benham, his high school sweetheart, while in college, and shortly thereafter earned his Air Force pilot wings in Texas. Jerry flew air refueling aircraft, the KC-97 and KC-135A, for the USAF, performing air refueling around the world. This included numerous combat missions based out of Thailand in support of the Vietnam War. He left active duty in 1966 but remained in the United States Air Force Reserves working as the Officer in Charge of the Command Post at McChord AFB. Jerry retired from Air Force Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel with over 20 years of service.
While still in the Air Force Reserves, Jerry culminated his career with the Boeing Airplane Company as Chief Test Pilot. He flew training, engineering test, and delivery flights, accruing an impressive 10,845 hours of flight time. In his 35 years at Boeing he piloted the majority of the different makes and models of Boeing aircraft including but not limited to the 707, 720, 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, and various military aircraft such as the E-3A AWACS, KC-135, E-6, and T-43. He also spent over two years in Toronto, Canada as the Director of Operations for the de Havilland Corporation (at that time a subsidiary of Boeing) flying the Dash-7 and Dash-8 aircraft.
Jerry was a loving husband, father, brother, and friend. He enjoyed the pursuit of foreign languages, hunting, singing in the choir, bocce ball tournaments, playing guitar and spending time with his four children - Deborah, David, Donna and Daniel. He is survived by his four children, nine grandchildren (Chrissa, Teresa, Melissa, Alex, LaRayne, Renae, Robert, Jessica, Callie and Jordan), and twelve great grandchildren. Jerry is also survived by his sister Linda.
Two services will be held: September 1, 2015, at 10am at the Pebble creek ballroom in Goodyear, Arizona (16262 W Clubhouse Drive), and September 21, 2015, at 11am at the Aspen Chapel on the grounds of Mountain View Cemetery in Lakewood, Washington (4100 Steilacoom Blvd SW).
In lieu of flowers, donations to the MS Society would be greatly appreciated. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Donate
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