Swanson, a Gold Cross recipient and charter member of the Old Men’s Club, passed to the Adytum on High on Feb. , 2009, at age 86. He was a WWII veteran and was buried with honors at the Riverside National Cemetery. Upsilon brothers Jack Bryan, Bob Doumakes and John Goodlad attended the burial. The military funeral included a bugler sounding “Taps” and an honor guard with a 3-round salute. A properly folded flag was presented to his children. Swanson was in the 381st Infantry in the South Philippines as a medic with action in Leyte and Okinawa. He was awarded the Purple Heart for being shot in the calf while tending to wounded soldiers, a Bronze Star for valor in the line of duty, a Good Conduct Medal, and two Bronze Battle Stars, all before age 22 when he was honorably discharged. Merle “The Pearl” Swanson, was a midwesterner from Nebraska who lived life with Swedish gusto and fortitude. He moved to California with his mother after the early death of his father, entered UCLA after WWII, and was loved by all in Upsilon, where he was elected as Sage.
On campus, he was elected King of “Men’s Week,” paraded around like an Egyptian pharoah. He was a member of the Kelps booster club for Bruin athletics and helped to recruit Rafer Johnson, the 1960 Olympic decathlon gold medalist, to UCLA. Swanson was a strong athlete and led Upsilon in intramural football and basketball, and he was captain and 3-year letterman of the rugby team, earning a lifetime pass to Bruin sporting events. He graduated in 1951 with a B.S. in Business.
Merle Swanson – Rugby King In 1951, Swanson married his “honey,” Miss Dolores Colligan, in Sierra Madre who became the love of his life. Swanson was known as fun-loving and a big fan of the horse races, attending opening day frequently at Del Mar and Santa Anita (as a member of the Santa Anita Turf Club) and always winning his bets. “He was somebody you liked to see,” Robert Doumakes said. Although Swanson was large in stature, he was a gentle giant. He moved his family to Orange, played golf with his sons and grandchildren, and had season tickets to the Rams, Ducks and Angels. He did not smoke or drink much, but he loved to eat (especially ice cream and peanut M&Ms), and always knew the best restaurants. Extremely smart, Swanson was a brilliant mathematician and wordsmith, loved crossword puzzles and cards, and could easily spell words backwards. Swanson’s children have fond memories of their house in Orange with its pool, hot tub and game room. A loving father, he was always the last to wave them off when they went out at night, and stayed up late to ensure they returned home safely. The large family had memorable vacations at the beach and RV trips to Canada. He gave his children the freedom to roam for hours and explore, preparing them to be independent and strong in their own lives.Swanson Family Swanson was retired from the construction business, in which his company sold building supplies, and he lived in Carlsbad. At his retirement party 10 years ago (which included Judge James Ross as a guest), Doumakes said he had never seen so many people: “He had friends all over.” Swanson’s wife Dolores (“Lola”) preceded him in death in 2008. They had 6 children: Tom, Rick, Sandy, Pam, Doug and Becky. Swanson’s son Doug can be contacted at (909) 579-5583.
Swanson, a Gold Cross recipient and charter member of the Old Men’s Club, passed to the Adytum on High on Feb. , 2009, at age 86. He was a WWII veteran and was buried with honors at the Riverside National Cemetery. Upsilon brothers Jack Bryan, Bob Doumakes and John Goodlad attended the burial. The military funeral included a bugler sounding “Taps” and an honor guard with a 3-round salute. A properly folded flag was presented to his children. Swanson was in the 381st Infantry in the South Philippines as a medic with action in Leyte and Okinawa. He was awarded the Purple Heart for being shot in the calf while tending to wounded soldiers, a Bronze Star for valor in the line of duty, a Good Conduct Medal, and two Bronze Battle Stars, all before age 22 when he was honorably discharged. Merle “The Pearl” Swanson, was a midwesterner from Nebraska who lived life with Swedish gusto and fortitude. He moved to California with his mother after the early death of his father, entered UCLA after WWII, and was loved by all in Upsilon, where he was elected as Sage.
