Raymond Edward Swart's Obituary
Raymond 'Buzz' Edward Swart, Jr., January 21, 2024 of Sarasota, Florida. Born Fall of 1943 in Jackson, Michigan to Raymond Edward Swart, Sr. and Edna May Swart (List). Ray is survived by his wife, Nancy, two sisters, Phyllis Pittman and Pamela Moore, six children, Cheryl Whinna (Herbert), Steven Swart (Lora May), Andrew Swart, Allison Cabaniss (William), Michael Swart and Jeffrey Swart (Ana). He is also survived by eight grandchildren, Megan, Duncan, Madison, Tenaye, Wossene, Annabelle, Baron and Beau and with Dylan.
A true gentleman who played ironman football for Northwest (1962), Ray met the love of his life, Nancy Coleman in 1981 at The Patio in FL and married 40 years. A boy born and raised on a farm, Ray tinkered things to life with his hands, as a tool and die maker, master mechanic, master carpenter, agriculturalist and engineering problem solver. A dedicated family man, Ray's entrepreneurial energy started and operated several businesses in commercial landscaping, residential home building and commercial real estate development. Buzz believed in philanthropy and his favorite cause, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in Memphis, TN, saved his son from pediatric cancer.
Rarely one to sit still, Buzz was happily busy, usually working, and enjoyed fishing, boating, building balsa wood RC airplanes, restoring old cars and equipment, horticulture and humming along to Golden Oldies in his pickup. In the years since their nest emptied, Ray traveled the US to be with family and friends and hand and hand with his wife, trekked the greater wide-world's expanse exploring the diverse richness in humanity's cultures. Ray 'Buzz' Swart's smiling spirit's laughter and love lives in all who know and love him.
Please leave a message of comfort for Raymond’s family or sign his guestbook at www.EinederFuneralHomes.com.
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