Dr. Malcolm & Patricia Swan

It is with much sadness, heartache, and pride that we share the news of our father's passing, Dr. Malcolm Duncan Swan Jr. on June 26, 2022, and that of our mother, Patricia Lou Swan, on Sept 30, 2014. Both Mom and Dad were very invested not only in their children, but also in the future of their grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Our Mom was born on May 14, 1932, in Columbus, Montana, to Kiefer Henry Fisher (he, son of homesteaders and a rancher) and Lulu Dell Fisher (she, a First-grade teacher and rancher). Mom graduated from Absarokee High School in 1950, and, in 1953, earned her Elementary Teaching Certificate at Eastern Montana College of Education, Billings. She taught First Grade at Fromberg Elementary School from 1953 to 1955, and she completed additional studies at Montana State College during the summer of 1958. It was during her first job at Fromberg Elementary where she met Dad, and fell in love. Within months, Dad asked her to marry him by asking, "So when do you think your Mom and my Mom could get a wedding organized?"  Mom replied, "Well, I think a couple of months." They were married on June 28, 1953 in Columbus, Montana, in a lovely church ceremony with a picnic luncheon. They gave birth to five children, all in Montana, namely Mark (born 1954), Dan (1955), Steve (1958), Kelley (1961), and Tim (1963) - their full names appear below.

Mom was a resolute protector of her children. We were blessed with a mother who instilled in us an adoration of music, appreciation of family and friends, and a never-ending love of animals/birds (even racoons/and turkeys). Mom was intensely loyal to her family and friends (e.g., Myrna in particular) and wrote beautiful letters to them throughout her life. She loved to cook, and baking was her forte. She enjoyed entertaining, including organizing and cooking for the annual grad assistant dinner at their Lorado Taft Field Campus home. Mom chose to stay home, rather than return to school, and we are very grateful that she did, for she was a wonderful teacher to us all. She was our Father's (Laddy as she fondly referred to him) champion. She supported him in his educational and professional endeavors, including moving from our grandparents in Montana to Illinois. Yearly, Dad would take all of us on trips to Montana to visit them, for Mom missed them so. Once Dad was near retirement, they moved to a home that Mom selected and loved, located north of Chana, Illinois. She wanted a forest, so Dad planted 10,000 pine trees to make her dream come true. Mom was preceded in death by her beloved parents, and aunts/uncles and numerous cousins.

Our Dad was born on August 5, 1926, in Fromberg, Montana, to Malcolm D. Swan (inheriting his full name), and Jesse Swan, who were employed as farmers, employees of the Fromberg Schools, and later, owners of Standard Gas station in Fromberg. While in high school, Malcolm participated in Debate, Theatre, Newspaper, and Future Farmers of America (FFA). He became Chapter President as a Junior and ranked 3rd in a State Public Speaking Contest. As a member of the FAA, he was recognized as State Farmer in 1944 and became Montana FFA's State Vice-President that year, the same year he graduated from Fromberg High School. He joined the U.S. Army in 1945 and was stationed at Okinawa in1946 until transferred to the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory Unit at Amherst College that same year. During this period, Dad saw the devastation of not only human lives but the effects of war on the environment when his ship was docked at Pearl Harbor a few years after it was bombed. He decided to commit his life to conservation and becoming an outdoor educator. In 1949 he graduated with honors, from Montana State College, with a Bachelor of Science Degree. He was a member of Phi Kappa Phi Scholastic Honors Program and completed graduation requirements in 10 quarters while he worked half-days milking cows at the college dairy in Bozeman, Montana. He worked as a Vocational Agriculture instructor at Fromberg High school from 1949 thru 1960. He was Principal of the Fromberg High School from 1958-1960, earned a Masters of Education Degree (in Education Administration) from Montana State College (Bozeman) in 1960, and was Superintendent for the Florence-Carlton Elementary School in Florence, Montana, from 1960 to 1963. In 1964, he earned a Master of Science degree at the University of Montana, Missoula, followed by an Education Doctoral degree there in 1965.

To support his big family, he applied for and landed an Assistant Professor job at the Lorado Taft Field Campus of Northern Illinois University in 1965 and moved all of us to a nearby farm in Ogle County. Soon, Dad was promoted to Full Professor later that year. As part of his job, Dad was a founding member of the EEAI (Environmental Education Association of Illinois) , and he is the namesake of their yearly environmental educator award, "The Malcolm Swan Environmental Educator of the year award." His whole career was invested teaching would-be teachers the integration of nature and the care of our environment in all branches of education.

His whole career was invested teaching others the care of our environment.  He published several research studies on environmental education, as well as being the author of "Tips and Tricks in Outdoor Education - Approaches to providing children with educational experiences in the outdoors" published in 1987.

After retirement he took on another role, which was researching mom's and his family Ancestry compiling data from 1700's, or earlier - reaching out to members of our family that were in Scotland, and Norway.  He would tell stories about these families, which mom enjoyed hearing over and over.

Throughout their lives, Mom and Dad were involved in Community Service activities. Mom volunteered as a teacher’s aide, served on the PTA, helped with school functions, and was a proud member of the Lions Ladies Auxiliary of Fromberg, Montana, and consistently to the Humane society, until her passing in 2014. Dad was the Commander of American Legion Post 71, Fromberg in 1952 and remained a member of the American Legion for 72 years (1950-2022).  He was a member of and held various offices, notably the Fromberg Volunteer Fire Department 1951-1960, Coach for PeeWee Baseball 3 years, Scoutmaster for Troop 131, Fromberg, 2 years, Mayor of Fromberg (2 terms) 1957-1960, and a member of the Freemason's as well as the ROTC at Northern Illinois University.

Dad was preceded in death by his loving wife and our Mom, Patricia Lou Swan, and by his two brothers - Jack (survived by his wife, Jewell) Swan and Richard (and his wife Jane) Swan - by his older sister - Mary (and her husband Fred) Forsberg, and by a daughter-in-law (Ruth Helwege Swan, Mark's wife from 1985 to 2017). Dad is survived by his younger sister, Judie Swan, and both Mom and Dad are survived by their children, Malcolm Mark Swan (now married to Shannon E. Hobson), Daniel Dwight Swan, Steven Scot (married to Julie) Swan, Kelley Kay (married to Scott Howard) Kardys, and Timothy Todd Swan (with Jen Wagenecht, Gabby/Sydney).  Mom and Dad are survived by eight grandchildren, Zachary (married to Sheridan) Swan, Sethe Swan (with Britney), Garrett Swan (married to Rachel Bernier), Landon Swan, Colter Swan (married to Nah) Swan, Brianne Renee (married to Ian) Spayer, Katrina C. (married to Trevor) Peaslee, and Mathew Gillespie Kardys, as well as dear Riley Watkins (who was like a grandchild to mom and Dad.  All followed by 4 great-grandchildren, the fourth of whom was born two days after Dad passed away on the day we celebrate the Malcolm and Pat Wedding Anniversary. Their final resting place will be in Montana, and a memorial service will be determined at a later date.

They lived a blessed life, and are dearly missed by family and friends.