Bill Swears: educator, mentor, and genuine good guy
By Rhonda Dedyne
There have been many conversations with Bill Swears over the years covering a wide range of subjects, but two topics were always part of the mix whenever we talked: education, and my driving skills.
That unusual combo makes perfect sense when you consider Mr. Swears spent the bulk of his life as a teacher, coach and administrator – who happened to be my driver’s training instructor at Rodney B. Wilson High School back in the summer of 1967.
While I’ve never had an auto accident, I must admit to getting more than a few speeding tickets that have generated revenue for the state’s coffers since the time of Bill’s driving lessons. I reminded him of that during what turned out to be our final gabfest a few weeks ago. It produced a laugh from the man who was a real “people person” and whose humor never failed him – he was “Joking Around ‘Til the End” that came too soon on August 10. He was 77.
Bill helped open the “new” St. Johns High School in 1969 where he was assistant principal. He took over as SJHS principal in 1976.
The CarePages tagline didn’t mean Bill was a prankster – although I suspect he played some practical jokes on the many friends who enjoyed fun times with him at The Emerald and other golf courses around Michigan and Florida. Bill’s good humor and part of his enduring legacy is an ability not to take himself too seriously; an attribute that seems in short supply today.
A life-long learner who was always interested in current happenings, Bill was eager to question others about their perspective on issues and events before offering his own assessment which was usually spot-on. My appreciation for that aspect of his character deepened in recent years during my time serving on the Board of Education for St. Johns Public Schools. His 36-year professional career here in St. Johns resulted in a huge treasure trove of information which I’ve benefited from on more than one occasion. He was an avid supporter of education at all levels for every individual.
The 1968-69 SJHS boys basketball team won the West Central Conference title with a 13-3 record, Bill’s final season as head coach.
The homily delivered at Bill’s funeral emphasized that fact. He touched the lives of hundreds – probably thousands – of students, colleagues, parents and community residents in this area that he called “home” for more than a half-century. To be sure, there were ups and downs in those years spent in classrooms, on basketball and tennis courts, and in countless meetings as an assistant principal at the “new” St. Johns High School in 1969-70, and later as principal there starting in 1976 until his retirement in 1994. He weathered the bad and enjoyed the good, demonstrating sportsmanship and leadership at all times.
There’s absolutely no doubt that a key component in Bill’s positive approach to life is a lovely lady who is equally well known – his wife, Beth. Together, Bill and Beth served as wonderful role models whether they were coaching young athletes, enjoying time with friends on trips across the U.S. and abroad – or sharing a laugh with a former driver’s training student during “table-chatting” at SJ Big Boy where Wayne and I encountered them from time to time. They will remain as an amazing couple in my mind.
Bill and Beth enjoying an Alaskan cruise, one of their many life journeys together.
No matter what the role – husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather; education advocate; sports enthusiast and golfing buddy; friend and community supporter – Bill’s engaging smile and twinkling eyes remain clear and bright to those who knew and loved him.
May we all try to capture the spirit of Joking Around ‘Til the End.