Thomas Steven Swartz

Major Thomas Steven Swartz, USA, Retired, of Havre de Grace, Md., a decorated veteran, civil servant, and humanitarian, died Aug. 1, 2011, at the age of 88. He was born in Masontown, Pa. to the late Joseph Swartz and Mary Volansky Swartz on Aug. 16, 1922.

After graduating from high school, Mr. Swartz enlisted in the US Army in 1940 and was assigned to the Army Corps of Engineers. He served in various locations throughout the American, Pacific, and European Theaters of Operation during World War II. As a result of his meritorious conduct and numerous awards received during these tours, he was selected to attend officer candidate school at AmherstCollege in Massachusetts.

While stationed at Fort Dix, N.J., Lt. Swartz met and fell in love with the former Ethel Bernadette Marecka, and they were married on Jan. 2, 1949. In transit to his next duty assignment in Japan, Lt. Swartz was diverted to the Korean Conflict. During the Korean War, he received numerous awards, most notably, a Silver Star for gallantry in action against an armed enemy near Hoengsong, Korea in 1951 and the Purple Heart for wounds received in the same engagement. After his return from Korea, Lt. Swartz and his family were stationed at Aberdeen Proving Ground and Fort DeRussy, Hawaii. In 1960, after 20 years of military service, Major Swartz retired from the Army while at his last duty station in Fort Lee, Va.

Following this retirement, Major Swartz moved to Havre de Grace where he accepted federal employment at the Aberdeen Proving Ground as the Administrative Officer to the Director of Facilities Engineering. Later he became an Assistant Post Engineer at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. He actively devoted himself to fostering the Spirit of the Army’s Equal Employment Opportunity and Federal Women’s programs. In 1976, he advocated adoption of an apprenticeship program to provide new opportunities for minorities and women to enter into skilled trades. He was awarded top honors for outstanding government service in the field of equal opportunity of employment at the Baltimore Federal Executive Board Career Service Awards Program. He retired from Aberdeen Proving Ground in 1983.

In addition to his military and civil service careers, Mr. Swartz was a member of multiple service organizations including the Military Officers Association of America, Havre de Grace American Legion, Veterans Foreign War, Military Order of Purple Heart, National Active Retired Federal Employees Association, and the Havre de Grace Lions Club. He was heavily involved in the American Association of Retired Persons’ programs, such as tax counseling for the elderly and health advocacy programs. For years, he enjoyed being a member of Young at Heart.

Mr. Swartz joined the Lions Club in 1963 and served in all positions leading to the Club Presidency in 1969-1970 and 2000-2001. Beyond the Club level, he served as Zone Chairman, Deputy District Governor, and was awarded the Guiding Lion Award by the President of the International Associations of Lions Club for the successful establishement of the Churchville Lions Club. He received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, the highest form of recognition which embodies humanitarian ideas consistent with the nature and purpose of Lionism. He was among the most active members of the club and truly exemplified the motto, “We Serve.”

Upon his retirement from civil service, Mr. Swartz traveled with his wife to experience the cultures of Europe, Africa, Canada, and the CaribbeanIslands. His travels enhanced his passionate interests in history, literature, and medieval architecture. Among his fondest visits included trips to Czechoslovakia where his wife’s family immigrated from, and Germany, where he embraced his heritage. Closer to home, some of the activities he enjoyed were golfing, gardening, and art. He was an accomplished artist—sketching and painting in a variety of mediums. Nothing was more important to him than his loving family. As a proud father, he passes on a legacy that will continue for generations. He was affectionately called “Tom-Tom” by his grandchildren and great grandchildren, and he loved spending time with them.

Mr. Swartz is survived by his daughters, Diane Ethel Thomas, and her husband, John C. Thomas, of Aberdeen, Denise Lorraine Clott, of Annapolis; his grandchildren, Lisa Hipkins, and her husband, Kevin, of Havre de Grace, Jon Thomas, and his wife, Connie, of Bel Air and Alicia Burger, and her husband Philip, of Annapolis; his great grandchildren, Colleen Hipkins, of Havre de Grace, Owen, Evan and Samuel Thomas, of Bel Air, and Carson and Landon Burger of Annapolis; a sister, Betty Siracusa, and her husband Charles, of Solon, Ohio; a cousin, Doris Perno of Uniontown, Pa.; his nieces, Marianne Fell of Masontown, Pa., Kathleen and Maria Siracusa, JoAnn Henderson, Kelly Sanders and Gina Hanna of Solon, Ohio, Debbie Brunette of Texas, Rebecca Duffey of Wyoming, Linda Pastore of Brigantine, N.J. and Susan Ondrushek of Crofton; and numerous great nieces and great nephews. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Dorothy Markowski and Frances Balaban, brother, William Swartz, and sister-in-law, Lorraine Ondrushek.

A Mass of Resurrection of the life of Mr. Swartz will be offered at 10 a.m. Aug. 27 at Saint Patrick Catholic Church, 615 Congress Avenue in Havre de Grace, with Father William J. O’Brien officiating. A private interment with Full Military Honors will follow this fall at ArlingtonNationalCemetery.

Memorial donations in memory of Mr. Swartz may be made to the Havre de Grace Lions Club College Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 374, Havre de Grace, Md.21078.

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