ALVIN AUGUSTUS SWENSON
1560 Hampton Road
Rydal, Pa.

Chap, Body, Bear

See the U.S.A. in your Chevrolet. DINAH SHORE

Entered School 1956. President, Class of 1960; William G. Shields Memorial Scholarship; Secunda Trident Plaque; Honors in Scholarship, 4 years; Trident Honor Society, Vice-President; Literary Society, 3 years; Dramatic Club, 3 years; Varsity Club, 2 years; Senior School Council, 3 years; Chorus, 2 years; Charter Singers, 2 years; Quakers Dozen, 1 year; P.C. in Football, 3 years (Co-Capt. 1959); All-Interac Football, 1958; All-City Honorable Mention, 1958; Second Team All-Interac Football, 1959; P.C. in Wrestling, 2 years; Interac Champ (175 lb.), 1958; P.C. Second in Wrestling, 1 year; P.C. Second in Baseball, 2 years; Winner, Masefield Poetry Contest.

Former Residence
265 Tunnel Road
White House, PA 18661
215-852-8577
swensfe@gmail.com

Obituary

In Memory of Alvin A. "Chap" Swenson, 1942 - 2018

Alvin Augustus Swenson III passed away peacefully in his home with family on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at the age of 75. He is survived by his sons Christian (Kit), Luke, William, Alvin IV (Chip), daughter Kirsten (Kiri), their mothers Ruth and Virginia (Ginger) and grandchildren Ryan, Emily, Thomas, Quinn, Eli and Sylvie. Also known as Chap, Al studied at the William Penn Charter School before attending Princeton and Wharton School of Business.

When his father, Alvin Augustus Jr. passed away, Al took on the leadership of the family business, Swenson Ford, on Kensington Avenue in Philadelphia. Al later ran his own Chevrolet dealership in New Jersey before choosing to teach, and later to develop training programs for Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz, roles which suited his visionary mind. Most recently, Al was a salesman of Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Over the years, Al was an all-Ivy football player and wrestling coach, teacher and trainer, wrangler and river guide, drummer and oldies fan, husband and dad. He rode many happy miles on his motorcycles, adventuring solo or with friends and family. Al will be missed by his family, and by the many people he met, captivated, and made laugh.

Relatives and friends are invited to call on Tuesday, April 17, 2018, 10 am, at the Kirk & Nice Suburban Chapel, 333 County Line Rd., Feasterville, PA 19053 ( 215 - 354 - 0085 ), where Al's life will be celebrated at 11 am. Interment to follow in Sunset Memorial Park . In lieu of flowers, donations in Al's memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1626 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19103.

Children: Five, in birth order:

• Kirsten Paige, age 34
• Alvin A. IV (Chip), age 33
• William Todd, age 28
• Luke Daniel, age 11
• Christian John (Kit), age 7

My discontinuous life has not found me staying in one place long enough to become particularly secure, though I have only my wanderlust to blame. Graduation from Princeton was a non-event, the football season that made me proudest of my Princeton experience being long over. Graduation from the Wharton School (Marketing) was more eventful, as I applied myself. That's it for formal education, but of course not the end of the lessons (some painful).

Here's a list of what I've done for pay since graduating from college:

• Ford Dealer
• Penn Charter Athletic Director
• Chevrolet Dealer
• Motorcycle Shop Employee
• Car Salesman
• Dude Ranch Trail Guide
• Snowmobile Guide
• Hunting Guide
• Rafting Company Bus Driver
• Salesman and District Manager for Auto Test Equipment
• College Professor
• Insurance Salesman
• Marketing Consultant
• Volkswagen District Manager
• Volkswagen Sales Trainer
• Volkswagen National Training Manager
• Mercedes Benz NA Director of Training
• Consultant to Volkswagen Importer in Korea
• ISO 9000 Consultant and Auditor
• Continuous Improvement Facilitator to Cadillac Division of General Motors

Earning a living has taken me from Pennsylvania to Colorado, Kansas, Colorado again, California, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania again, Singapore, Korea.

Ruth and I were married in Durango, Colorado, almost 12 years ago. We now live in the Poconos on 100+ acres where we keep 2 boys, 3 horses, 2 dogs (down from 4) and 4 cats fed and occupied. Ruth stays busy working full time for the Wallenpaupack School District (Gimme a "W"- "I don't think so") and coaching soccer and baseball. Currently, I help make the world a better place for people who own Cadillacs.

Ginger is now married to Russ Bishop and works with Russ in his insurance business. Our families often merge for holidays, and now there are grandchildren to enjoy. Chip and his wife Kelly (another Colorado bride) have two boys, Quinn (for Alvin V) and Thomas Keith (or T.K.).

My sister, Candace, whom some of you will remember as Candy, died last year on the 4th of July after bravely facing ovarian cancer. I only learned what a remarkable person my sister was after she became ill, and I will only say, in closing, to all of you: if there is someone in your family you think you have all the time in the world to get to know, you don't, so don't wait.

My Dad died in 1969 but my Mother is living and I see quite a bit of her since my weekday office is in her house in Blue Bell, where I'm typing this.

I am eager to see all of you at the reunion. This will be my first reentry into the PC atmosphere of any importance, though I did attend my sons' graduations.

Be well.

Chap