Paul Francis Swift passed away peacefully on Monday, March 9th, 2009, in Clearwater, Florida.
Born on July 31, 1923, in Salina, Kansas, Swift was one of six children born to Paul Swift and Cecile Gouffaut Swift. He was raised in Dayton, Ohio, and graduated from the University of Dayton with a degree in Chemical Engineering. A World War II veteran serving in Europe and the Pacific, Swift writes about his training as an advanced engineer with Army Special Training Programs, saying “our slide rules were strapped to our belts as if they were our pistols.”
Swift had a distinguished career with Eastman Kodak; serving his first years with the company in the Panama Canal Research Labs, researching the effects of climate on the film development process. When he retired in 1984, he was the Director of the Black and White Photographic Division, Research Laboratories. Paul went on to work 10 years as director of graphic arts at the Rochester Institute of Technology Research Corporation, and 5 years at IMAC, doing significant work with partners in Japan.
After retirement, Swift developed his interest in painting and continued to be a devoted reader of the classics. A mathematician, he worked on Number Theory until just days before he died. Instead of solving Suduko puzzles, he created an equation that could solve any puzzle.
Swift, a devoted husband and father, was a faithful member of Transfiguration Catholic Church in Pittsford.
Paul is predeceased by his first wife, Phyllis, his grandson, Jason, his sisters, Cecile, Margaret and Blanche and his brother, Joe. He is survived by his brother, Frank; his wife of more than 34years, Nancy; his children Marianne Swift, Cecile Scott, Paul Edison-Swift (Sue), Marcia Cooley (Mike), Frances Swift, Janine Simpson (Kim Barhite), Kim Gerstner (Tom), Steve Swift (Ping), and Tammy McGloshen (David); 17 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren; and his sweet dog, Buddy.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Al Sigl Center, 1000 Elmwood Ave #300, Rochester, NY 14620 or The Church of the Transfiguration, 50 W Bloomfield Rd, Pittsford, NY 14534.