Attorney Francis Swift - of Osterville formerly of Wellesley, May 13, 2010. Beloved husband of the late Barbara (Sullivan) and Joan (Martin).
Born in Milford on December 7, 1923, he was the second son of the late Judge John E. Swift and Emily Lee Swift. He was the loving father of Mary Lee Halpin of Boston, Barbara Swift of Natick, Charlotte Leibold of Houston, TX, and Francis Swift, Jr. of Gaithersburg, MD; father-in-law of Gerard Halpin, Arthur Leibold, and Susan Lynch; and grandfather of Brian Halpin, Emily Halpin, Matthew Leibold, Mackenzie Leibold and Sophia Swift. He is also survived by his step-children James McCambridge, Ann Altimare, and Robert McCambridge and their families. Brother of Sr. Nancy Lee Swift, RCE. And the late John Edward Swift Jr,. and Marilyn Isabel Swift.
Frank received his elementary education at St. Mary's School in Milford.. He attended and graduated from St. Philip's Preparatory School in Boston. Upon graduation, he entered Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Shortly after entering Georgetown in the fall of 1941, he joined the U.S. Army as a part of the ROTC program. In 1943, Frank was called into active duty and proceeded to Fort Benning in Georgia. While there he was commissioned an Officer of Infantry in the Army of the United States. He was then assigned to Fort Leonardwood in Missouri, where he was assigned to the 70th Infantry Division, 275th Regiment. He shipped out to the European Theater of Operation in 1944, landing in the south of France where his unit proceeded north toward Germany. It was during this campaign he was injured in the line of fire and hospitalized for several months thereafter in France, England and the United States. As a consequence of the injuries suffered, he was awarded the Purple Heart Medal. After months of recuperation, he returned to his studies at Georgetown and graduated in 1945. Following his graduation, he entered Boston University Law School. After two years of intense study, he received his LLB and joined the law offices of Joseph Schneider in Boston. He remained with that firm from 1948 to 1958. He then established his own practice at 11 Beacon Street. He served the court system in Massachusetts as a Master and Auditor for the trial of civil matters. While living in Wellesley, Frank was involved in many community endeavors. In the early Fifties, he was Chairman of the Funding Committee for the construction of a new building for St. James the Great Parish. He actively supported the Academy of the Assumption and Elizabeth Seton High School. He served as Chairman of the Wellesley Board of Appeals and served on the Wellesley Conservation Commission. Frank has been a long-term member of the Boston Athletic Association (BAA). In 1985, Frank was elected President of the Board of Governors of the BAA and served in this capacity until 1990. During his tenure, the BAA entered into an agreement with the John Hancock Insurance Company to award monetary prizes to the winners of the annual Boston Marathon. This elevated the Boston Marathon to an international stature.
Funeral from the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home 477 Washington St. (Rt. 16) WELLESLEY Monday at 10AM. Funeral Mass in St. Julia's Church, Weston Center, at 11AM. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Visiting hours Sunday from 1-4PM. Interment St. Mary's Cemetery, Needham. In lieu of flowers donations in Francis' memory may be made to Catholic Charities C/O Development Office, 51 Sleeper St. Boston, MA 02210.