Frank A. Swicker, 88, passed away on Saturday, December 5, after a brief illness. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Marian, and is survived by his many friends and “adopted families,” the McDonalds, Giomettis, Holdens and Giles. He is also survived by his countless students of chemistry at Christian Brothers High School and Christian Brothers College, where he taught for over 30 years. Dr. Swicker was the consummate educator, able to demand and receive the best efforts of his students, while providing the foundation for their moral transition to adulthood in the LaSallian tradition of the Christian Brothers. Every student of Dr. Swicker’s left his class well prepared for the rigors of a chemistry curriculum in college, and better prepared for life in general. Both he and Marian dedicated their lives to molding young students into ladies and gentlemen of honor and integrity, for which they set the perfect example.
Frank was born in 1932 in Chicago, IL and grew up in the Chicagoland area. He earned his BS in Natural Sciences from St. Mary’s College in Minnesota, his MS in Chemistry from St. Louis University, and his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh. Given his love for teaching and his devout faith as a Roman Catholic, he entered the religious order of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, and served as a Christian Brother until he met the love of his life, Marian. He and Marian were married in 1973 and moved to Memphis, where they settled down as educators par excellence (in keeping with Marian’s love of French). After retiring from teaching, Frank worked on his golf game with his friends at Memphis National Golf Club, traveled the world with Marian and friends, continued his support of the mission of CBHS, and even became a credible ballroom dancer. He will be missed by all whose lives he touched, from his students who knew him as a rigorous teacher to his friends who knew him as a truly kind and generous soul. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Christian Brothers High School or to St. Agnes Academy for the Marian Swicker Chair of Excellence in Teaching.
