Son of Henry F. Swift and Lucy W. (Howland).

Obituary:
Col. Charles Henry Swift
5/4/1909 - 12/4/2009
Col. Swift, 100, of Charlotte, died Friday, December 4, 2009, at the Carriage Club. He was born in Plymouth, MA, son of Henry Flavell Swift and Lucy Wells Howland. The Howland family came to America on the Mayflower. He grew up in the Robert Bartlett house in Plymouth, built in 1627.
Col. Swift graduated from Springfield College with Undergraduate and Masters degrees in Physical Education and Recreation. After 11 years as Director of Physical Education in public schools at Greenfield, MA, he joined the Air Force as an officer. As Director of Physical Training, every Officer Training Candidate and enlistee was led in exercises at Miami Beach from the calisthenics manual that he wrote. After the war Col. Swift was Director of Rehabilitation Programs at the Veterans Administration where he was instrumental in the development of paraplegic wheelchair athletics such as basketball, volleyball, swimming and bowling. Returning to the Air Force, Col. Swift commanded Special Services Sports Programs for interservices tournaments in golf, basketball, football and boxing. As part of his role in recreation he scheduled big name bands including the Dorsey Brothers, Glenn Miller, the Bob Hope Tours and many others for troop entertainment for the USO at military bases and overseas. He knew them all. He also coached the 1956 Olympic Boxing team. As an avid golfer all of his life, Col. Swift was listed in Golf Digest many times for shooting his age (for example he shot a 75 at 75 years). He won numerous country club and military championships throughout his lifetime.
Col. Swift was preceded in death by his first wife, Evelyn Webster Swift in 1972; wife Elizabeth O. Held Swift in September of 2009; and step grandson Aaron C. Burns in 2001.
Nephews Douglas W. Stiles and wife Martha of Greenfield, MA and Robert L. Stiles, Naples, FL, survive him. Stepson Herbert E. Held, wife Meredith and daughters Heather and Stephanie of Dallas, TX; stepdaughter Vicki H. Burns, wife C. L. 'Bud' Burns and their daughter, Kelly Kruse and husband Wade and children Reagan, Aaron and Laney of Charlotte; and son Zachary and wife Kaili and their children Alana, Grayson and Leila of Edmond, OK, also survive him.
Visitation is Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 11:00 a.m., at McEwen Funeral Home in Pineville, 10500 Park Road, with services at 11:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Plymouth, MA.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Aaron Burns Scholarship Fund, ASU Foundation, Post Office Box 32064, Boone, NC 28608 or to The Juvenile Diabetes Fund, 1628 East Morehead Street Charlotte, NC 28207.
Published in Charlotte Observer on Dec. 11, 2009.
Source:
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/charlotte/obituary.aspx?n=charles-henry-swift&pid=137145406&fhid=4562

Births Registered in the Town of Plymouth
4 May 1909
Charles Henry Swift
Male
Place of birth: Plymouth
Full name of father: Henry F. Swift
Maiden name of mother: Lucy W. Howland
Residence of parents: Plymouth
Occupation of father: Painter
Place of birth of father: Plymouth
Place of birth of mother: Plymouth
p. 213
GS film #2315253
Digital folder #004401711
Image #01064 familysearch

1940 U.S. Census
Greenfield, Franklin, Mass.
CHARLES SWIFT - Head - 30y
Born Mass.
Physical Instructor/Public Schools
Evelyn Swift - 28y
Born R. I.

United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014
Deceased
Name: Col Charles Henry Swift
Event Type: Obituary
Event Date: 10 Dec 2009
Event Place: North Carolina, United States
Residence Place: Charlotte, North Carolina
Gender: Male
Age: 100
Occupation: Col
Birth Year (Estimated): 1909
Death Date: 04 Dec 2009
Newspaper: Charlotte Observer, The

This memorial was updated on December 23, 2018,
and on December 19, 2020.