Samuel Byron Swanson, 79, of Port Ludlow, Washington, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022.
Sam was born Sept. 5, 1942, in Port Townsend, Wash. He attended Chimacum School until he moved to Bellingham, Wash., where his mother earned her teaching degree at Western Washington University after the death of his father. After graduation, Sam studied engineering at the University of Washington and as a member of Baker House, assisted in dismantling, transporting, and reassembling the goalposts from the Huskies Rose Bowl victory in 1961 back at the university.
After college, Sam worked first as a surveyor for Jefferson County, then formed Puget Sound Surfacers with cousin Mike Shaw and lifelong friend Sterling Huntingford. After parting ways with Mike, Sam and Sterling joined another lifelong friend, Duke Shold at Shold Excavating and later purchased Cotton Redi-Mix in Hadlock. Sam retired in 1993 and after some travel spent the rest of his life on the family farm in Swansonville.
Sam is survived by his brother, Armond (Marcia); beloved children, Sam II (Karma), Richard, Angela Cossell (Bobby), Tonya Roberts (Brian), and Kyle Stafford (Veronica); and grandchildren, Samantha, Jesse, Ashley, Justice, Devin, and Talon. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Jean; his sister, Helene; and his brother, Harry.
Sam will be laid to rest with his family at Forest Hill Cemetery in Swansonville. A celebration of life will be held in the near future.
