Donald French Swan

 On January 17, 2022, Donald French Swan, of Ellicott City, Maryland passed away after a 21 year battle with Parkinson’s Disease.  He was 74 years old.  Don was born on June 28, 1947 to Donald A. Swan and Dorothy F. Swan in Somers Point, New Jersey.  He grew up on the beaches of Ocean City, New Jersey where his passion for sports emerged with surfing.  That passion grew into love for other sports as well such as basketball, golf and racquetball.  In high school, Don found his heart in basketball and football.  He was a member of the 1963-64 Ocean City High School basketball team which was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1991.  After high school, Don went on to earn a spot on the University of Maryland’s football team where he played defensive linebacker while earning his Bachelors in Business degree.  After college, Don’s next adventure landed him at Xerox Corporation where he worked for 39 years.  He became decorated with many sales awards over his career and earned at least 26 President’s Clubs that took him to many wonderful places around the world.

Besides work, Don enjoyed volunteering for HCYP, coaching his childrens’ sports teams, and attending their sporting events in high school and college.  It didn’t matter the location or distance of these events as he always made it a point to be there.  Don’s greatest joy, though, was spending time with his family and friends.  He loved to go on vacation to the beach whether it was back in New Jersey, Florida, the Virgin Islands or Hawaii; he was always drawn to the water.

Don is survived by his beloved wife of 42 years, Anita Marino; devoted father of Donald (Kelly) Swan, Erika (Mark) Lupo and Kristina (Sean) Cunningham; loving nephew of Helen Foor; dear brother of Donna DeRocher; dear uncle to niece Chantal Tilbrook; beloved uncle of nephews Donald DeRocher and David DeRocher; he leaves behind four grandchildren: Donald & Marina Swan and Caden & Tristan Lupo.  Don was preceded in death by his parents Donald A. Swan (2005) and Dorothy F. Swan (2016).

Visitation will be on February 10 at Donaldson Funeral Home of Clarksville, P.A., Clarksville, MD 21029 from 2-4pm and 6-8pm.  The funeral Mass will be on February 11 at 11 am at St. Louis Church in Clarksville, MD.  Internment will be at St. John’s Cemetery, in Ellicott City, following the Mass. 

Memorial donations may be made to: The Michael J. Fox Foundation or American Parkinson Disease Association.

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