Site address: http://www.memorialmatters.com/memorials.php?page=Stuart-Swann
In Remembrance of Stuart F Swann
11 January, 1938 ~ 11 January, 2009
Beechy, SK, Canada
Message from Tanya Swann:
" This is a memorial to my Father. "
Biography
In Memory of:
Stuart Forest Swann
Memorial Service, Kamloops, BC
January 16, 2009
Family Tribute
By Dena Swann
Thank you, each and every one of you for joining us today to honour and remember our Dad, Stuart.
I�ve thought long and hard about what to say to you today and I keep coming back to this: I believe Dad�s spirit is present here this morning and he would be so happy to see all of us together, members of his family and many friends. Simply, family and friends were the most important things in this world to my Dad.
Dad began his life in a vast family, one of ten siblings. As Tanya and I grew up, we were captivated by Dad�s stories about his childhood growing up on the prairies, the people in his life, and the laughs they shared. As we all know, Dad never ran out of stories and would often laugh until there were tears in his eyes. One story that I remember Dad telling us was his explanation of two scars he had � one above his eyebrow and one on his wrist. Dad claimed that both scars had been inflicted by flying tomahawks on the prairies. I have since learned that both were received when Dad fell off of a sled pulled by Jim Swann. As well, though it has been confirmed that Dad travelled five miles each was to attend school, it was not uphill both ways.
Dad relocated many times in his life and made friends wherever he went while maintaining established friendships. Dad loved to visit with people over a coffee, a meal, or a long distance phone call. Dad never allowed time, physical distance, or matters of opinion to diminish his relationships with his family and friends.
I learned from Dad how to manage life�s difficulties. We all know that Dad suffered deeply from depression. Dad told me that the hardest part about feeling depressed was not the depression itself. Rather, it was the impact he understood his depression had on the people that cared about him. In spite of how difficult life was for Dad at times, I never once saw him seek pity because of this. He managed to do what needed to be done and notice and immerse himself in moments of joy.
Dad taught me to appreciate my mind and all of the wonderful things it can do. Dad continued to educate himself well beyond his formal grade 8 schooling. Growing up, I remember seeing him read, study, and incorporate the vocabulary lists from Reader�s Digest; devour books � Westerns, biographies, or inspirational; and enjoy discussing ideas with people. Though Dad often challenged my ideas, he did not let a difference of opinion (and we had many) effect our relationship.
Dad taught me that caring is often more about what we do than what we say. Dad made time to attend celebrations for family and friends. Dad often travelled to Alberta and Saskatchewan to attend weddings, family reunions, tease his brothers and sisters, and say final goodbyes to people in his life. Dad baked pies, cinnamon buns, bread, and cookies because he enjoyed doing so but gave most away to people he cared about. He was always up for a coffee, a visit, or a joke.
Dad volunteered his time during different periods of his life. When Tanya and I were young, Dad was an active Big Brother and taught adults to read. Once he retired, Dad volunteered as a senior�s shopping assistant and as a driver for transporting medical patients to Kelowna. When I lived in Vancouver, Dad and I volunteered in a soup kitchen on the Downtown Eastside one Christmas Day. Dad had a kind word for all of the people that he served that day and shared his humour and the food equally.
Dad taught me to appreciate the outdoors and how beautiful our country is by taking us places. Dad seemed most comfortable when he was outside whether lying on the bald-headed prairie, riding horses, camping, fishing, boating, walking or cross-country skiing. Dad�s favourite places included the prairies, especially the Beechy area, Drumheller, and the Foothills. Also the Caribou, Bella Coola, Paul Lake, and the Oregon Coast.
Dad taught me to love and appreciate music. That Dad loved country music is a given. Dad also listened to Bob Dylan, Elton John, Paul Simon, 60�s folk music, and African drumming. Dad also loved to dance. Growing up in Saskatchewan, Dad would often begin my morning with a dance in the kitchen. At the time, being a teenager and definitely not a morning person, I resisted these opportunities to dance with my Dad. However, as time went by, I came to treasure my opportunities to dance with my Dad and to take every one. Dad owned three guitars and he taught himself to play some and he yearned to learn more.
Dad taught me the importance of home. No matter where he lived or what his circumstances were he always made a home for us, and in later years, for himself. Dad dug a basement by hand in Kamloops, built us a swing set and climbing bar, and did numerous renovations inside and outside. Dad seemed to carry each previous home with him to the next. Dad opened his homes to family and friends to come for a short time or a long time and made all feel welcome.
Most of all, through his life and actions, Dad taught me the importance of attitude. In closing, what I�ll read to you next was very important to Dad.
Attitude by Charles Swindoll
�The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company ... a church ... a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ... we are in charge of our Attitudes.�
Thank you.
Memories
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Candles & Flowers
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