William Alexander Swain III
ONEONTA _ William Alexander Swain III, of Oneonta, died at home Monday, May 28, 2012, in the loving care of his wife of 60 years, Molly Myrus Swain.
Born Nov. 16, 1924, in Asheville, N.C., to Frances O. and William A. Swain Jr. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1944, and trained as a fighter pilot, Lt. Junior Grade. He received a BS in 1951 from Duke University.
He worked at Lake Delaware Boys Camp during the summer of 1949, where he met Molly Ann Myrus, daughter of Adolph A. and Marjorie Steere Myrus of Oneonta. They were married on Sept. 5, 1951, at the First Presbyterian Church, Oneonta.
Swain received an MA in Education from the University of North Carolina and a second master's in Education from SUNY Oneonta. He taught at Bugbee School in Oneonta, then at Chestnut Street School.
In 1959, he accepted a Fulbright Exchange position to teach in England. Upon his return, he became principal of Chestnut Street and Plains Schools.
He spent the summers of 1962 and 1963, on a teacher training program with Operations Crossroads Africa in West Africa. In 1964, he spent two years in Mpwapwa, Tanzania, on the USAID program, Teachers for East Africa.
Returning to the U.S., he taught at SUNY Geneseo. In 1967, he began a Ph.D. at Teachers College, Columbia University which he completed in 1975. In 1969, he started supervising student teachers at SUNY Oneonta. He retired in 1994.
He helped found the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club and the Storytelling Center of Oneonta, and was a leader at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta.
He is survived by his wife, Molly; brothers David and Joe; sister, Sally Mull; sons William and wife Margaret, John, Peter and his wife, Claudia, and son Michael's wife, Jennifer; grandchildren, Kenji, Marika, Bradley, Daniel, Molly and Jake.
He was predeceased by son, Michael.
Other "children" equally dear are: Princess Caulker Barlay, Mandi Parker Mader, Pamela J. Peters, Jared Polens, and Frederick "Rick" Tubbs.
A memorial service celebrating Bill's life will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 3, 2012, at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, 12 Ford Ave.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of William A. Swain III may be made to: Teachers for East Africa Alumni (TEAA) supported schools, payable to TEAA, send to Henry Hamburger, TEAA Treasurer, 6400 Wynkoop Blvd., Bethesda, MD 20817. Alternatively to: Catskill Area Hospice, 1 Birchwood Drive, Oneonta, NY 13820.
To light a candle or send condolences visit www.ottmanfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are by the Ottman Funeral Home, Cherry Valley.
