William E. Swenson

May 21, 1926 - July 27, 2016

Pomona, NY

William E. Swenson, entered into rest peacefully with his family by his side on Wednesday, the 27th of July following a brief illness.

The son of the late William and Katherine Huyus Swenson, he was born in rural Rockland County just prior to the Great Depression. He grew to maturity in a hard-working household; his father a stationary engineer, his beloved mother a homemaker and caregiver for an extended family. It was a situation that was all too common in that era and did much to shape his character as a young man. Later, as with so many of his generation, he was called into the service of his country and joined the war effort by enlisting in the United States Navy. He served during the last two years of the war as a pharmacist mate based on Treasure Island in the San Francisco area.

After the war, for a brief, but memorable time, He worked for the actor Burgess Meredith and was called upon to chauffer such luminaries of the screen as Paulette Goddard between the actor’s home in Pomona and NYC.

After the near-privation of his youth, a world war and the near-glamour of Hollywood, he settled down into a life-long period of domesticity with his wife of sixty-seven years, Gloria and his three sons. He was employed throughout that time at Lederle Laboratories where he contributed to numerous drug development projects as a bench chemist.

Always an avid fisherman and hunter, he added travel in his later years and with his wife, visited several countries in Europe when not enjoying his retirement home in Florida. He leaves this life having raised three sons and having completely enjoyed his two grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held between the hours of 2 to 4pm and 7 to 9pm on Monday, August 1st at the Michael J. Higgins Funeral Home in New City, NY. The arrangements are under the care of M. J. Higgins Funeral Service Inc. which can be contacted at 845.634.6110.