Jack Herbert Swift

Dr. Jack H. Swift JD, 76, of Grants Pass, OR, touched the hand of God on Friday, January 29, 2016. He passed quietly with his family and friends at his side following a long battle with heart disease.

Jack was born in Los Angeles, California, to Herbert Augustus and Margaret Swift. He graduated from Loyola High School in Los Angeles and Georgetown University in Washington D.C. He received his Jurisdoctor Degree from Western State University (Thomas Jefferson School of Law) in San Diego, California. He married Catherine Ann Shawhan of La Habra Heights, California, on June 18th, 1960.

Jack taught Latin, English, and German at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California. He had a successful career in Sales before entering the legal profession as a Maritime/Admiralty lawyer and Municipal Court Judge in San Diego, California.

Jack was an avid hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman and enjoyed sharing these sports with his sons and his great friend, John Eyers. Jack retired to the Grants Pass area in 2003 and became very active in the Josephine County Republican Party. He was Vice-Chairman of the Southern Oregon Resource Alliance and was a passionate advocate for the Second Amendment. During the last few years of his life, he became extremely critical of land use laws and what he saw as the mismanagement of the public lands by the government and he focused his considerable legal expertise towards keeping public lands open and accessible to the average citizen.

Jack is survived by his wife, Catherine, of Grants Pass. His two sons, Daniel (Teresa) of West Linn, OR, and Michael, of Grants Pass. Granddaughters Kim (Jared) of Moreno Valley, CA; Jessica of Talent, OR; and grandson Alden, of West Linn.

Arrangements under the direction of Chapel of the Valley-L.B. Hall Funeral H, Grants Pass, OR.