David M. Swartos was born on July 19, 1942, in Mount Vernon, Washington, to Milford and Constance Swartos. He passed away on April 23, 2020, in Green Valley, Arizona. He was 77 years old.
David moved to his parents’ hometown, Volga, South Dakota, with his family in 1949 and grew up there with his parents and three sisters. They moved in 1957 to Lynden, where David graduated from Lynden High School in 1961. He married Mary Nolte in 1964 and graduated from Western Washington University in 1965. Mary and Dave had two daughters together, Kristi and Amy. Dave taught elementary school in Toppenish for two years, then in Arlington for 24 years until retiring in the early 1990s. David married his wife, Janice (Jo), in 2001. David went on to own Wright Home Inspection for ten years and also worked for FEMA as a travel manager for nine years. David was also a Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteer. David and Jo moved from Blaine and settled in Green Valley, Arizona, in 2012.
David had many hobbies throughout his life including carpentry, boating, fishing, camping, photography, gardening, traveling, gold panning and brewing beer. He had a great sense of humor and lived life to the fullest. David had an affinity for nature and critters of all kinds.
David is survived by his loving wife, Jo; sisters Carolyn Swenson, Sonja Jansen (Dick) and Peggy Yost (Dave); his daughters, Kristi Muna (Jesse) and Amy Goebel (Andy); his grandsons, Ole Rodriguez, Oskar Goebel and Milo Goebel; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation or the Coronavirus Relief Fund.
