In Memory

Bruce Swanson

Bruce Swanson

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June 4, 1946 - March 13, 2022

Bruce's statement on his webpage:

Upcountry is an attitude as much as a place. Slow down, help your neighbor, barter, grow your own, make your own, and, in my case, beauty in the mundane. These are the attitudes. At 2500 feet, my wife, Marsha, and I live on the side of Kilauea, near Hilo, Hawaii, in the forest that is Pele's haunt. After an eruption, the sky glows red, and Pele's hair ("spun" lava) comes floating in on a Kona wind. In this world, where rock can fly, where cows low, roosters crow, and the clouds come sneaking in the door...in this world, we create. Marsha with her buttons at www.etsy.com/shop/mrsbuttons and me with the stuff I see lying around. This is the place. As a child of depression era parents, I've straightened my share of used, bent nails, shopped with catalogues and coupons, scrounged pop bottles for money, and, in general, made do with what I had. I couldn't wait to get my degrees, start consuming and leave that world behind. Now, fifty years, four kids, and two careers later, I've seen enough of consumerism, and the impatient, throwaway values it has brought to us all. In some ways, up on this volcano, I've come full circle...back to a simpler, older era. In some ways, I'm firmly grounded in the Twenty First Century and its technological wonders. This synthesis of old and new has brought me a new way of looking at things. You might call it "Reverence". 



 
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05/01/22 12:51 AM #1    

Linda Pompeo (Worden)

I am saddened by Burce's passing.  I remember him and his smile from school days long since gone by. My sincerest condolences  to his family.  


07/28/22 12:46 PM #2    

Tim Jones (Jones)

I didn't know Bruce well.  He lived near my friend Earl Bohm if I remember correcty.  

One day, probably when I was in the ninth grade at Sylvester, Bruce came walking by the folk's house on Sylvester Road.  Bruce stopped to chat.  He said among other things, "Tim, you need to get some Levis". 

I took that advice to heart.  Still wear Levis to this day.  Thanks Bruce! 

Bruce was always very direct in his speech.

Sorry to hear you've passed on,  Bruce

RIP


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