Kevin James Swick

COLUMBIA - Kevin James Swick passed away on Wednesday, July 16, 2014, in Columbia, SC. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church at 3600 Devine Street on Monday, July 21, 2014. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at Dunbar Funeral Home at 3926 Devine Street on Sunday, July 20, 2014. He was born on June 23, 1943 in Norwalk, Ohio to the late Howard and Mary Zureich Swick. Highlights of his early years included playing baseball, delivering newspapers, mowing lawns, and growing up with his siblings Mary Generose, Vern, and Tom in Norwalk. Kevin Swick was an educator. After earning a bachelor’s degree in history and speech, he completed a master’s degree in education from Bowling Green State University. Following graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati and Northern Illinois University, Dr. Swick received his Ph.D. in Education from the University of Connecticut in 1970, where he directed the New London Student Teaching Center. As an assistant professor at Southern Illinois University, Dr. Swick developed and taught innovative courses and directed the University Head Start program. Dr. Swick joined the faculty at the University of South Carolina in 1976, where he served as Chair of the Early Childhood Education Department for several years and Coordinator for the Early Childhood Program during three multi-year periods. Dr. Swick worked as Director of the University Children’s Center for five years; he also directed the Ed.S. in Teaching degree program for more than a decade. He developed and led the Early Childhood Education Summer Institute for many years. Dedication to service learning led him to direct the USC-SLATE project and to co-direct the USC-South Carolina Service Learning project. Dr. Swick thrived as a beloved teacher who inspired his students through courses including family involvement, multicultural issues in education, parent/family dynamics, and educating teachers on strategies for helping homeless and high-risk students find success in school. While he retired as Distinguished Professor Emeritus from USC in 2010, Dr. Swick continued teaching as an adjunct professor for several more years. He taught his final classes during the spring semester of 2014. Kevin Swick was a leader. He worked with many early childhood and family programs in South Carolina and throughout the United States. His advocacy for young children and their families extended to the writing and administration of numerous grants to improve early childhood education, such as Project First funded by the U.S. Department of Education. He provided leadership through involvement with professional organizations including Southern Early Childhood Association, Association for Childhood Education International, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, National Association for the Education of Young Children, South Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children, and South Carolina Early Childhood Association. Dr. Swick served as the chair of the SC McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Advisory Committee; he also worked with SC Interfaith Family Resource Centers, the Junior League of Columbia (Smart Matters program evaluation), the Kellogg Service Learning Initiative, various Even Start Programs and S.C. Parent Information Resource Centers. He was frequently recognized through honors such as the Rhonda Corley Friend of Children Award, the George H. Lackey, Jr. Award for Inspirational Teaching, the South Carolina Department of Education Award for Educating Teachers of Homeless Students, and numerous distinguished service awards. Kevin Swick was a writer. The young man who loved creating poems and stories became a published author of over one hundred journal articles and more than twenty books and monographs on parent and family issues in early childhood education. He took pride that his texts had become international, used for teacher education in countries such as China. Dr. Swick worked as department editor for the Early Childhood Education Journal and as a publication reviewer for the National Education Association. In his book Empowering Parents, Families, Schools and Communities During the Early Childhood Years, he observed, “Only if we are learning and growing can we contribute in significant ways to the partnership” and that when children experience “love and see it many aspects of their daily lives, they develop real strength in being caring and loving persons themselves.” Learning and love provided the foundations for his extraordinary gifts. Kevin Swick was a husband, a father, and a grandfather. He married Susan Joyce Lonz Swick on August 26, 1967, thus beginning a devoted partnership of abiding love. Kevin cherished his wife, Sue, the light of his life. Their shared journey took the couple to Connecticut, Illinois, and ultimately South Carolina. Kevin embraced fatherhood, joining his three children (Melissa, Tim, and Jim) in their various passions, from little league baseball fields to theatres of New York City. He was an affectionate and active grandfather who treasured time with his four grandchildren (Bobby, Joey, Susan Faith, and David). His family was his life, and his life was his family. Kevin Swick was a man of faith. A lifelong Catholic, he spent many youthful years as an altar server at St. Mary’s as well as twelve years at Catholic schools in Norwalk, Ohio. Along with his wife Sue, Kevin was a faithful member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Columbia. Kevin lived his faith in a way that few people achieve. He always put others before himself. He looked for the good in everyone. He is survived by his wife, Susan Lonz Swick; daughter, Melissa Ellington (Robert), sons, Tim Swick (Amy) and Jim Swick; and grandchildren, Bobby and Joey Swick and Susan Faith and David Ellington. He is also survived by his siblings, Mary Generose Boose (Jim) and Vern Swick (Sandy). In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother, Tom Swick. His family would like to extend thanks and appreciation to Dr. Charles Butler and all of the nurses and staff at SC Oncology Associates, as well as Dr. Dan Love and those at Palmetto Pulmonary. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Nurturing Center, 1332 Pickens Street, Columbia, SC 29201 in memory of Dr. Kevin J. Swick.