Harold Lee Swarthout

Harold Lee Swarthout, 81, of Upper Arlington, Ohio and Port Orange, Florida, died Thursday, June 26, 2014 at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida after suffering a heart attack. Harold was born December 15, 1932 in Dayton, Ohio and spent his childhood in Portland, Michigan. In 1957, after he received a B.S in accounting from Central Michigan University he married Clarabelle Grosskopf and moved to Monterey, California to serve four years in the US Army. He returned to Portland, Michigan and earned his MBA from University of Michigan while serving as an accountant for Dow Chemical.

In 1964 he moved to Columbus, Ohio with his wife and 3 children. He had a long career at Capitol Manufacturing, a division of Harsco Corporation and retired as Senior Vice-President and Controller. Harold earned his pilot's license in 1974 and enjoyed flying his Mooney airplane to many distant destinations. After Clarabelle died from cancer in 1992, he retired to the Spruce Creek Fly-in community in Port Orange, Florida. There he pursued his love for flying, traveling, boating, skiing, reading, tennis and bridge. Harold married Evelyn Merecki in 2005. They traveled extensively and were very active in the Spruce Creek community with social and fundraising events. He fueled his passion for flying by building a Velocity single engine aircraft in his hanger. After successful flights he retired the Velocity and purchased his second Mooney. Surviving him, his wife, Evelyn of Port Orange, FL. He is also survived by his children, Edward Lee of Austin, TX; his daughter, Diane Sue (Steve) Galliers of Westerville, OH; his son, David John (Janet) of Columbus, OH; his brother, Larry Dean (Donna) of Florida; his grandchildren, Matthew, Samantha, Braydon, Brenton, Mia, and Sasha. Friends may call from 5 pm - 8pm on Tuesday, July 1, 2014 at the SCHOEDINGER NORTHWEST CHAPEL, 1740 Zollinger RD., where the funeral service will begin at 10 am on Wednesday, June 2, 2014.

Interment at Union Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or American Heart Association, in his memory.