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Edward B. Swift embarked on his last voyage on December 21, 2021. Born January 2, 1952 in Wilmington, Delaware, Ed had an artistic flair from an early age. His artistic ability, combined with his journalism skills (something he got from his mother, a high school English teacher), served his willpower throughout his childhood and adolescence. Ed graduated from Wilmington High School in 1969 and briefly attended Philadelphia College of Art, before enlisting in the United States Coast Guard in 1970. His artistic abilities were noticed at Coast Guard training camp (when his drawings of naked women were discovered by the commander of his company). , and he was able to benefit from many additional hours of “training”. After graduating from training camp, Ed transferred to Cleveland, Ohio, where he met and fell in love with Mary Ellen Evenden, the USO “Cookie Girl” who volunteered at the Induction Center. of the armed forces. They tied the knot less than a year later, starting a 50-year journey together. Ed served in the enlisted ranks as Boatswain’s Mate and later as Chief Photojournalist. Ed was appointed Chief Warrant Officer and later promoted Lieutenant of CW04. He retired after more than 30 years of active service as a “mustang†lieutenant commander. After his retirement, Ed worked as a civilian in Coast Guard recruiting and later as executive director of the Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Association. Ed was a life member of the Coat Guard Combat Veterans Association, where he served as National President for three terms and Editor-in-Chief of the Association’s National Magazine for over 20 years. Ed was also a life member of VFW and DAV. He was an avid collector of beer cans and for years the walls of many rooms in his house were adorned with thousands of cans on shelves (much to his wife’s dismay).
Ed is survived by his beloved wife, Mary of Dale City, Virginia; her son Kristopher and stepdaughter Cecilia Swift of Rohnert Park, California; Son Scott Swift of Dale City, Virginia; and grandson Joshua Swift; as well as a load of truly wonderful friends. Ed has always said he considered himself a very wealthy man because he considered friendship to be the most precious commodity on earth.
A visitation for Ed will be on Thursday, December 30, 2021 from 10 am to 11:30 am, with a funeral service starting at 11:30 am Ed will be buried in the Quantico National Cemetery. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the family hope to celebrate Ed’s life this summer. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Inova Transplant Clinic, USO, and the Coast Guard Combat Veterans Association.
Posted by Mountcastle Turch Funeral Home & Crematory – Dale City on December 28, 2021.
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