Dr. William E. Swartz Jr's Obituary
Dr. William E. (Bill) Swartz, Jr., 76, of Clearwater, FL, passed away peacefully on July 17, 2021 surrounded by his family. Born on August 16, 1944, in Braddock, Pennsylvania, he was the oldest son of the late William E. and Catherine Swartz. Bill earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Juniata College (1966) and his PhD in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1971).
Bill relocated to Florida in 1972 to accept a position as Chemistry professor at the University of South Florida. His love of chemistry eventually led him to later become Chairman of the chemistry department. After 14 years in academia, he left the University of South Florida to become the Laboratory Manager for the General Electric Pinellas Plant in Pinellas County. At the time of his death, Bill was the President and CEO of Constellation Technology Corporation in Largo, FL. Throughout his life, Bill enjoyed playing golf, coaching his children’s sports teams, watching the Tampa Bay Rays, working crossword puzzles, and spending time with his children and grandchildren. In his spare time, he shared his passion for chemistry by sometimes teaching the subject at St. Petersburg College.
Bill is survived by his wife, Donna E. Swartz of Clearwater, FL; brother Laurnz (Laura) Swartz of Lake Frederick, VA; daughter, Jennifer (Ross) Erickson of Boise, ID; son, Edward (Tammy) Swartz of New Port Richey, FL; stepdaughter, Denise (Art) Nagan, of Gainesville, FL; stepdaughter, Deborah Dahlgren of Safety Harbor, FL; son, Jeremy Swartz of Evanston, IL; and grandchildren Kate, Jayden, Kylie, Haley, Caroline, and Samuel.
A celebration of his life will be held at Safety Harbor Resort & Spa on August 14, 2021 at 3:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the American Diabetes Association in Bill’s name.
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