Ronald Swift

Ronald Jay Swift, our beloved husband, father, brother, and friend, has gone on to be with the Lord. And though we will miss him dearly, we praise God that Ron is safe in the arms of Jesus, where there is no more pain, no more suffering, and no more tears. Ron is survived by his wife of 41 years, Jackie, his children, Nathan and Rachel, his siblings, Rick, Randy and Mindy, his bonus family, Ryan, Marian, Rianna, and Everett, and countless other family and friends who all love him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Margaret, and his son, JT. We have no doubt the first thing Ron did was find them in Heaven and give them one of his big bear hugs.

In life, to know Ron was to be loved by Ron. Whether society deemed someone the lowest of the low or the king of the hill didn’t matter to him; he loved everyone without bias and without limits. He never met a stranger and could carry on a conversation with anyone as if he’d known them his entire life. Even as he struggled with PTSD later in life, he took every opportunity to reach out and care for others, comfort them in their own afflictions, and love them unconditionally.

Ron will always be fondly remembered for his love of cycling. Whether he was on the road or a trail, “Rocket Ron” knew how to ride a bike well and ride it fast. He “allowed” Lance Armstrong to beat him, rode in countless races, and at his peak was one of the elite ultra-cyclists in the world. One of his greatest joys in life was riding up into the mountains or woods to be surrounded by nature.

Ron adored animals and treated them with a gentleness that testified to his tender spirit and huge capacity for love. He delighted to encounter animals in nature and had many wonderful (and unique) pets through the years; from a duck that would fly next to his bus when he left for school, to a raccoon that—well, we don’t need to talk about that one—a Burmese python, guinea pigs, a boa, an iguana, and of course, his dear dogs, Specs, Annie, and Liberty. Just like people, no animal was too strange, plain, or difficult for him to treat with affection and love, and they all loved him in return.

Ron gave his all at every task, whether he was working on a trash truck or in the operating room, serving his country or playing his guitar, skateboarding with his kids or just being a friend. He was proud to be a veteran, an American, a member of the USMES cycling community, and, most importantly, a follower of Jesus. Music spoke to his soul, and he constantly poured his heart out in song. He was incredibly passionate about the things he cared about and never did anything halfway.

Ron was a man who loved his family and friends fiercely. We will all miss his loud laughs, big hugs, funny stories, and singing along to his guitar. He was incredibly proud of his kids and his siblings were his best friends. He loved his wife deeply; the last words he said before passing were “I love you, Jackie.” Above all, Ron did his best to love everyone he encountered like Jesus had loved him. He humbly trusted in the grace of Jesus while here on earth, and we rejoice in knowing that he has finished his race and reached his reward.
We’ll see you soon, Ron. Have that guitar tuned and ready to play for us!

In honor of this wonderful man, donations can be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, an organization that Ron cared for deeply.