Alvin E. Swanner

Alvin Earnest Swanner was a man of focus, determination, and generosity. He passed away peacefully at home last Tuesday morning, December 7, 2021. He was 93 years old. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Al was born in New Orleans on November 10, 1928 to Chester Shepard Swanner and Florence Cahill Swanner. His ship captain father was lost at sea at the beginning of the Second World War, so Al grew up under the love and tutelage of his mother and three beloved sisters: Victoria Becker, Florence Eberle, and Eleanor Shaw. During high school, he felt called to help with the war effort and left school in 1945 to enlist in the Marine Corps. He spent the next three years overseas in China and Japan – the beginning of a lifelong love of Asian food, decor and culture and the inspiration for future travel. Al always talked about how much the Marines opened his eyes to the world, and taught him about discipline and leadership. He liked to say the Marines made him a man. And he loved that he and the Corps shared the same birthday.

Al returned to New Orleans at age 20 and soon found himself shell-shocked – not from war, but rather the breathtaking sight of Rita Mae Hewson, who was on Canal Street with a friend, all dressed up, having just taken her Homecoming Queen portraits. For Al, it was love at first sight. The two married in 1951 and were together for 69 years; Rita passed away last December. Together they had four children, Michael Alvin Swanner (Lori), Susan Ann Swanner (Scott), Laure Swanner Walsh (Jim), and Holly Swanner Jarrett (Keith), thirteen grandchildren, and ten ‘greats’.

Al led by example. He emphasized the importance of education, hard work – and of listening over talking. Looking back over the remarkable trajectory of Al’s career, it is clear that he lived by his own advice. Growing up with modest means and without a high school diploma, Al knew he would need to work harder than others to provide for his family and attain the success he sought. He first turned to sales work, peddling coffee and anything else he could find that people would buy. He held many jobs, usually two or even three at a time. Little did he know that when he scraped together enough money to buy the service station where he worked, he had found the beginning of his path.

After his acquisition of the Gulf Oil service station on the corner of Canal and Claiborne, and with trusted friend A.J. Faucheaux forever by his side, Al had the smart idea to offer a few cars for rent as part of the station’s services. He became President of the Louisiana Service Station Assn., but remembering the advice of a loyal customer, never lost sight of his core business. He honed in on car rentals and joined Airways Rent-A-Car. From there, Al partnered with great businessmen-friends – among them, Bill Lobeck (Oklahoma), Jim Philion (California), and Arch McWhorter (Texas) – in a series of successful car rental businesses. The first of those was American International car rental. Through hard work and dedicated entrepreneurial spirit, business took off and led to several national and international ventures such as Thrifty Car Rental, which he and his partners took public in 1987 and sold to Chrysler in 1989. But Al and his partners were not done. In 1995, they negotiated the deal of a lifetime, purchasing National Car Rental – then the world’s fifth largest car rental company – from General Motors. Again seeing quick success, they sold the prospering business to AutoNation, the world’s largest group of retail automotive dealers.

One of Al’s great passions lies in the heart of Kenner: Chateau Golf & Country Club. He and Rita purchased the property in 1992 as an opportunity to not only build a hub for the community – renovating the club, commissioning a redesign of the golf course, and adding a world-class tennis facility – but also as a launching point for his quiet efforts to improve the city. Nowhere is this more tangible than in the row of live oaks that Al donated and planted, which line Williams Boulevard from the lake to the river, down West Esplanade, up Chateau Boulevard and along Vintage.

Al and Rita’s charitable giving was profound, but most acts were in private. They wanted neither credit nor publicity. Al always remembered the people who encouraged him as a young man, with advice or a small loan to help him grow his business. This was, perhaps, one of the things that underscored for him the importance of paying that kindness forward. So he and Rita did that in many ways, big and small, often by funding tuition to help others better their future. In recent years, his children hear more and more from recipients of such quiet gifts, and about the meaningful, sometimes life-changing, impact those gifts had.

Al Swanner had a larger-than-life presence. He could be tough and even intimidating at times, but always for the right reason. He was equally charismatic, endearing and had the biggest heart. He was the strongest person we know.

Al excelled at spotting talent in others and helping them to develop it. A sharp dresser, he had an affinity for well-fitting suits and cowboy hats, though generally not together. He was rarely idle and could often be found fixing just about anything. Loving the process, he was never in a hurry. The joy Al derived from riding a tractor or a lawn mower was almost inexplicable. Who knew that you could mow at night? He should have bought stock in bug spray. The man loved a good party, live music, and a stiff martini (or Old Fashioned). Above all, he was a gentleman.

Al enjoyed traveling and saw much of the world through both business and vacation trips with Rita, but he never lost his deep-rooted love for New Orleans and the Mississippi coast. He worked hard to preserve the beauty of those places. He loved Mardi Gras and made parade-watching a can’t-miss family tradition for over 60 years.

Al will be sadly missed by his adoring grandchildren – Melissa Pettavino (John), Michelle Yenni (Mike), Mike Swanner, Patrick Swanner, and Mandy Swanner (Danny); Chet Vaughn (Annie), Hunt Vaughn (Candice), and Kim Landry (Jonathan); Ali Mae Walsh and Jamie Walsh; and Kelsey Jarrett, Zack Jarrett (Allie), and Sarah Jarrett Perry (Crane) – as well as his amazing great-grandchildren – Nick, Mia, and Stevie Pettavino; Reagan, Madison and McKinley Yenni; Hailey and Adam Vaughn; and Davis and Connor Landry.

We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the importance to him of his friends from the old days, like Gentilly Woods. His co-workers, employees, and friends both locally and nationally from American International, Swanner and Associates, Thrifty, and National. His Chateau family. The Krewe of Mid-City and the “crew” at Kiln and Ocean Springs. Last but certainly not least, his devoted caregivers. Too many names to mention, but you know who you are. Your friendship, loyalty, love and impact will never be forgotten.

Relatives and friends are invited to the visitation at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 from 12:30PM until 3:30PM. At 3:30PM, the Funeral Mass will be celebrated in the Chapel of the funeral home. Following the Mass, please join the family in celebrating Al’s life with a reception at Lake Lawn Metairie’s Event Center from 4:30PM until 6:30PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Al’s memory to the Ochsner Clinic Foundation (mail to: Ochsner Health Systems, Dept. of Philanthropy, 1514 Jefferson Hwy, New Orleans 70121). We thank them for over 75 years of excellent care.

To view and sign the guest book, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com