Al Swance

Gerald Alan “Al” Swance of Blenheim passed away at home on Tuesday May 8, 2018. Al was born on June 11, 1925 to the late Mildred (Gough) & Lloyd Swance. He and his wife Betty who predeceased him in 1981 raised three sons Gary Swance & Kathy Kohajda, Greg & Darlene Swance and Gord & Monica Swance. They were the proud grandparents of Colin Seney & Nadja Lucyk, Kelsey Swance & Stephen VanRaay, Jordan Swance, Shalynn & Paul Hamilton, Desiree Swance and Brandon Swance. Al welcomed one great-granddaughter Bianca. He was predeceased by his second wife Rose Swance in 2012 and will be remembered by her family. On August 2, 2014 Al married Claudette (Rodrigue). He will also be remembered by Claudette’s children Jim & Andrea, Lynn and Lena.

Al attended school in Tillsonburg and Melbourne. He retired as a Line Supervisor with Ontario Hydro. He was a charter member of the Tillsonburg Kiwanis Club, Past Chairman of the Tillsonburg Recreation Committee and the Past Chairman of the Legion Villa Board of Directors in Blenheim. In his spare time, he enjoyed drawing, gardening and golfing with his good friend Gord Kirk.

If you asked Al what he was most proud of in his life, he would have said that it was the service he gave for his country. His wartime service included 16 round trips in the North Atlantic on convoy duty with the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve. He was a longtime member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 185 in Blenheim.

Family and friends are invited to the Blenheim Community Funeral Home on Thursday from 2 – 4 & 7 – 9 p.m. A Funeral Service conducted by Legion Padre Bill Terris will take place at the Funeral Home on Friday May 11, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. Cremation will follow and a private family interment will take place at a later date when Al will be laid to rest with Betty.

Friends wishing to remember Al with a memorial donation are asked to consider the Canadian Cancer Society or the Alzheimer’s Society.