Thomas Clyde McSwain

Notes:

OBITUARY

Salisbury [NC] Post; 26 Apr. 2010

Thomas Clyde McSwain

STAUNTON, VA. - Thomas Clyde McSwain, age 95, of Staunton, Va., died Saturday, April 24, 2010, at Augusta Health, Fishersville, Va.

Born Jan. 1, 1915, in Cleveland County, N.C., he was the son of the late Elam and Annie (Bell) McSwain.

A well known educator throughout Virginia, he was Superintendent of Staunton Schools for 17 years from 1961 until his retirement in 1978.

He held a bachelor's degree in business administration from Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, N.C., which he attended on a full athletic scholarship playing football, baseball and basketball. Following graduation from Lenoir-Rhyne College he played professional baseball in North Carolina. Where he also began his career as an educator in 1940 as well as coached in the Rowan County School System in Rockwell, NC. He received his master's degree in education from the University of Virginia in 1954.

He served in the United States Navy during WWII having enlisted in 1942 in former heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney's physical fitness program, called the Tuna Fish, to help train recruits. His classmates included Sammy Snead, Bob Feller, Phil Rizzuto and Peewee Reese. He was commissioned in 1943 and was named commanding officer of a destroyer escort based in Norfolk and when the war ended he was headed for the Far East.

Following the War he returned to civilian life and later joined the Navy Reserve unit based at Fishersville, Va., and was commanding officer with the rank of lieutenant commander for three years.

He joined the Staunton School System in 1946 as a physical education teacher at the city's five schools; and as coach of three sports and classroom teacher (math and history) at R.E. Lee High School.

He left the classroom and coaching after the 1951-52 season to go into administration and opened and was principal at three new schools: Bessie Weller for four years; Westside, two years; and Northside, one year. He was appointed to the position of assistant superintendent in 1958 and he was named superintendent in 1961. During his tenure as Superintendent he led in the integration of the school system, a major building program of new schools and closure of most of the former segregated black schools.

In 1964, he also served as the President of the Virginia Education Association. Citing his contribution to education, not only in Staunton but throughout the state, the School Board renamed Northside Elementary School in his honor upon his retirement in 1978.

He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Staunton where he earlier served as an Elder and as a member of its Christian Education Committee and taught a Sunday school class of teen-age boys.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Isabel Anderson McSwain; and two sisters, Gladys McSwain Thornburg and Adell McSwain Lovelace.

He is survived by his second wife, Theresa (Peiffer) McSwain of Staunton; a son, Colonel (Ret) Thomas C. McSwain, Jr. and wife, Jane Crane of Shepherdstown, W.V.; daughter, Susan McSwain Lee of Chesapeake, Va. and her fiancé, James Ingram of Lesage, W.V.; stepson, Donald Peiffer and wife, Barbara of Rural Hall, N.C.; five grandchildren; five great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Service and Burial: A funeral service will held on Tuesday, April 27, at 2 p.m. in First Presbyterian Church, 100 East Frederick Street, Staunton, VA 24401, with Rev. Dr. Richard S. Dietrich officiating. Interment will follow in Thornrose Cemetery. Active pallbearers will be the grandchildren. Honorary Pallbearers will include the staff and administrators of the Staunton City Schools attending the funeral service.

Visitation: The family will receive friends on Monday, April 26, from 7-9 p.m. at the church.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge, P.O. Box 815, Staunton, VA 24402. Donations will put towards a scholarship, to be established, in memory of Mr. McSwain.

Friends and relatives are invited to view this obituary and share condolences or memories with the family at www.reynoldshamrickfuneralhomes.com

Arrangements have been entrusted to Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Homes & Crematory.




Birth:
Social Security Death Index
Name: Thomas C. McSwain
Last Residence: 24401 Staunton, Staunton City, Virginia
BORN: 1 Jan 1915
Died: 24 Apr 2010
State (Year) SSN issued: South Carolina (Before 1951)

Register of Deeds. North Carolina Birth Indexes. Raleigh, North Carolina: North Carolina State Archives. Microfilm.
Name: Thos Clyde McSwain
Event Type: Birth
Birth Date: 1 Jan 1915
Birth County: Cleveland
Parent1 Name: Elarm McSwain
Roll number: NCVR_B_C026_68003
Volume: 2
Page: 125

Buried:
Grave location and tombstone photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=41063971

Died:
Virginia, Deaths, 1912-2014. Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia
Name: Thomas Clyde McSwain
Death Date: 24 Apr 2010
Death Place: Augusta

Thomas married Isabel Anderson. Isabel (daughter of Rev. Alden Scott Anderson, Sr. and Isabella Caroline (Isabel) Sterrett) was born 30 Sep 1918, Virginia; died 30 Dec 1989, Newport News, VA; was buried , Thornrose Cemetery, Staunton, VA. [Group Sheet]

1. Col. Thomas Clyde McSwain, Jr. was born 29 Dec 1945, Lexington, VA; died 07 Oct 2010, Jefferson Co. WV; was buried , Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.
2. Susan McSwain