Many of you know Richard Swoszowski  as “Wheels” the retired marine.  I would like to share with you some stories about the marine I grew up with, who was my dad and my hero. 
 
Do any of you remember the TV show, Gomer Pyle?  If you do, think of the character Vince.  He was the Staff Sergeant who was always yelling at Gomer.  Well, when I was a little girl, about the age of 5.  We lived here in Orlando and my dad was still in the service.  Almost every day my dad would fly his helicopter over our house.  If it was him, the signal to my mother was that he was in the helicopter and he would circle around twice.  This happened around 2:30 every afternoon.  When you are 5, you would not pay any attention as to whether or not a helicopter was circling around twice.  All I knew was that it was a helicopter and I would wave like crazy to say “hello”.  Then once he would pass over, I would run into the house turn on Gomer Pyle .  During the opening scene of the show, I would wave to Vince, scream “hi dad and tell him I just saw him outside”.  Then I would run and tell my mom that the helicopter just dropped my dad off at work. 

Once my dad retired from the marines, we moved to Massachusetts.  I will never forget every Saturday morning we had to change the sheets on our bed.  Once our beds were made, he would give us the Marine Corps quarter test to see if the quarter would flip.  This would prove to him if we did a good job and if the sheets were tucked in tightly or not.  He would tell us that we would have to remake the bed if it didn’t flip.  OH…what pressure!  But with the magic of my dad, even if the quarter didn’t flip somehow he said it did and we never had to remake our bed.

During the 1970’s, my dad got a job with Boston Gardens as the head security guard.  Through him I met some of the most amazing people like Burt Reynolds, all the Boston Celtics including Larry Byrd and Dorothy Hamill.  After meeting her, my dad would pick me up from school every afternoon, have my ice skates in the car and take me to the ice-skating rink.  He would let me practice ice-skating for two hours.  I can still remember him standing there freezing and sipping a cup of coffee…smiling at me so proudly.  It was through my dad working at the Gardens that I saw my very first concert.  It was Jackson Browne and I saw it with Marcie.

In 1978, we got the infamous blizzard…there was about 2 feet of snow.  The city was shut down for a couple of days.  There was so much snow that you never thought you would see grass again.  I was always a very quiet, shy child.  My dad decided to take me sledding down our neighborhood hill.  Since you couldn’t drive, we had to walk.  I think every kid in Dorchester was there.  There were these 4 kids saw that I was sledding alone and asked if I wanted to join them.  They had a toboggan and needed a 5th person.  Under the encouragement & suggestion of my dad….I went.  So they put me in the middle and then we started at the top of the hill and was having a great time.  Suddenly, the toboggan went off the snowy path and onto an icy path.  Talk about going fast…well the two kids of in front of me suddenly decided to jump out and before I knew it.  I went head first into a concrete telephone pole.  Luckily there wasn’t any blood just and enormous lump on the top of my head.  I never saw someone run so fast as my dad.   He looked me over and told me we needed to get home.   Instead of picking me up and carrying me, he made me walk.  So as I was crying and walking home, I couldn’t understand why this tall, strong marine wouldn’t carry me.  Come to find out later…he made me walk because he knew I had a concussion and he didn’t want me falling asleep.  Up to the day he died he would always joke with me about the lump on my head and how he thought it might have whacked a couple to things loose. 

During the summer, my dad would take my cousin and I to the Naval Air Base in Weymouth, Mass.  There they had a regular diving board and a high dive.  Oh, how I wanted to dive off that high dive.  So there he was encouraging me up the ladder.  Then once I got to the top, I would get nervous.   Instead of letting me turn around and come down, he told me that I was the daughter of a marine, I needed to follow through and couldn’t back out.  He didn’t care how long it took or how many people were waiting at the bottom.  He instructed me not to look down and to just keep walking the board.   Well, that’s all it took….I did it over and over and over again.  But I couldn’t do it without him standing on the side encouraging me.

I will never forget when I was in 5th grade and my dad picked me up from school.  He had gotten tickets to the opening day baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees.  It was a complete surprise! 

My dad taught me so many things like how to fish, what to look for if your car breaks down, he taught me how to play hearts, poker and chess.  

I have so many great memories of my dad but I guess the one that stands out the most is the one from last year when I came to visit him in the hospital.  Noreen picked me up at the airport and brought me immediately to the hospital to see my dad.  As we walked into the room, my dad was laying on his side with tears in his eyes.  He said to Noreen that he had been in pain and was asking for medication.  Nobody was helping him.  Well that was I all I needed to hear because I never in my whole life saw my dad ask anybody for anything or complain about pain.  I turned on my heels, marched to the nurse’s station and blasted the nurse that was taking care of my dad.  As I walked into the room, my dad looked at Noreen, smiled and said “that’s my girl”.  I loved my dad and nobody will ever take his place. 
 
Even though my parents were divorced…I had the best mother and father that any child could have had.

Dad…I know you have your legs back and I know you are standing tall, brave and proud.  I am honored and proud to be called the daughter of a marine!

I have known "Wheels" for 14 years and never knew him to be anything but cheerful and happy. No matter what life threw @ him, he had a smile and kind word for all.....he can never be replaced. Fair Winds and Following Seas, my friend. - Mike Dixon

RIP Brother. You are in the arms of Angels. Once a Marine, Always a Marine, Still a Marine in Heaven. Semper Fi. 

Hand Salute....

Dick, was my patient for the last 11 years. From time to time a physician has the good fortune to treat a patient whose physical disabilities are a source of inner energy to overcome whatever was put on his pathway. Richard Swoszowski was that kind of a fellow. Always took it with a smile and at times he had to take it hard and rough. My staff and myself will miss him very much. His lovely wife, Moreen, was always at his side with exceeding and loving support. May he rest in peace. 
E. Jake Jacobo, M.D.& Urology Consultants Staff.

I have been humbled by the grace with which Dick handled his physical challanges.  I will always remember him as upbeat and cheerful.  I wish I could be there with everyone to be a part of his transition.  Love, Sarah

 We haven't always been on the same page about my life. Even tho I made decisions that you were not happy with you always tried to see the best in me.As I did in you.Growing up you were the only family that I had that had faith in me and there when I needed you most. So glad you forgave me just months ago. Noreen, thank you for makeing him the happiest man on earth and giving him many reasons to laugh and smile till the end. He so loved you more than I have seen him love anything..well next to LUCKY ;0) I love you.I know Daddy is happy to have him. Grandad we will miss you.I will miss you.

OBITUARY

Richard "Wheels" Hoffman Swoszowski

May 4, 1931 – January 22, 2011

Woodlawn Funeral Home & Memorial Park

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