| Benjamin Randall Swann Jr. |
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Published in The Capital on July 31, 2011
Benjamin Randall Swann Jr., 73, died July 22 due to a brain tumor in
Tracys Landing. He was born July 27, 1938, and lived on Swann Road in
Suitland. He graduated from Gonzaga High in 1956. He then went on to
attend Catholic University, where he graduated with a B.S. in Engineering in
1962. He returned and earned a Master's degree in Acoustical Engineering and
was a member of the Tau Beta Pi Honor Society for Engineers.
He was a licensed Professional Engineer and a 50-year ASME member.
During Ben's career, he had the opportunity to be part of the search team for
the Nuclear Submarine Thresher. He investigated the sinking of both the
Edmund Fitzgerald and the Angelina Lauro when he worked for NTSB. Ben
later worked at NOAA on undersea topography mapping systems deployment.
He finished his career at NASA Goddard Space Center as an Aerospace
Engineer, where he worked as an Underwater Astronaut Trainer and on the
Space Shuttle arm deployment testing for use with the Hubble Space Telescope
modifications.
Ben and his wife, Joanne moved to Stuart, FL in 2002. They were 20-year
members of the Marine Trawler Owners Association. They were active in
many environmental and political causes over the years, but lastly in the Rivers
Coalition in efforts to clean up the St. Lucie Estuary. Ben was a 2nd-degree
KOC.
Ben was married to Joanne Synowiec for 50 years, and is survived by his
son, Ben Swann III; two daughters, Jeanne Swann Hillock (Kevin) of
Annapolis and Julie Swann Copeland (Paul) of Greenville, SC; four
grandchildren, Francesca Swann, Arielle Hillock, Marston and Hayden
Copeland; sister, Joan Swann Creighton; two nieces, Mary Whyte and Ceci
Drew; and two nephews, Ben and Robert Walsh.
A memorial mass and celebration of life service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on
Thursday, August 11 at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, 8816 Chesapeake
Avenue, North Beach.
For memorial contributions, the family has designated the American Brain
Tumor Association at www.abta.org or ABTA, 8550 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue,
Ste. 550, Chicago, IL 60631.
Online guestbook available at www.kalasfuneralhomes.com
Benjamin Randall Swann Jr., 73, died July 22 due to a brain tumor in
Tracys Landing. He was born July 27, 1938, and lived on Swann Road in
Suitland. He graduated from Gonzaga High in 1956. He then went on to
attend Catholic University, where he graduated with a B.S. in Engineering in
1962. He returned and earned a Master's degree in Acoustical Engineering and
was a member of the Tau Beta Pi Honor Society for Engineers.
He was a licensed Professional Engineer and a 50-year ASME member.
During Ben's career, he had the opportunity to be part of the search team for
the Nuclear Submarine Thresher. He investigated the sinking of both the
Edmund Fitzgerald and the Angelina Lauro when he worked for NTSB. Ben
later worked at NOAA on undersea topography mapping systems deployment.
He finished his career at NASA Goddard Space Center as an Aerospace
Engineer, where he worked as an Underwater Astronaut Trainer and on the
Space Shuttle arm deployment testing for use with the Hubble Space Telescope
modifications.
Ben and his wife, Joanne moved to Stuart, FL in 2002. They were 20-year
members of the Marine Trawler Owners Association. They were active in
many environmental and political causes over the years, but lastly in the Rivers
Coalition in efforts to clean up the St. Lucie Estuary. Ben was a 2nd-degree
KOC.
Ben was married to Joanne Synowiec for 50 years, and is survived by his
son, Ben Swann III; two daughters, Jeanne Swann Hillock (Kevin) of
Annapolis and Julie Swann Copeland (Paul) of Greenville, SC; four
grandchildren, Francesca Swann, Arielle Hillock, Marston and Hayden
Copeland; sister, Joan Swann Creighton; two nieces, Mary Whyte and Ceci
Drew; and two nephews, Ben and Robert Walsh.
A memorial mass and celebration of life service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on
Thursday, August 11 at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, 8816 Chesapeake
Avenue, North Beach.
For memorial contributions, the family has designated the American Brain
Tumor Association at www.abta.org or ABTA, 8550 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue,
Ste. 550, Chicago, IL 60631.
Online guestbook available at www.kalasfuneralhomes.com
| Benjamin Swann Jr. |