Frederick William Sweitzer

Bill was born in Norfolk, Virginia, on March 3, 1926, son of the late Frederick William Sweitzer, Sr. and the late Bessie Louise Peake. He was also preceded in death by his sisters Anne Elizabeth Van Dyke and Dorothy Virginia Dyche, both of Port Wentworth, Georgia, and his step mother Virginia Wilson Sweitzer of Norfolk, Virginia.

Bill’s family moved to Savannah, Georgia, in 1942 where his father had taken a position as Chief Hull Engineer at the newly opened Mingledorff Shipyard. As a teenager, Bill worked as a draftsman at the shipyard until 1944 when he joined the US Army and served with the Tenth Mountain Division in Italy during World War II. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for distinguished service during the Po Valley Campaign, and re-enlisted in the Army in 1945. In 1946, he returned to Savannah and married his high school sweetheart, Marye Eileen McArthur. On December 13, 2021 they celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary with family and friends.

Upon returning to Savannah, Bill joined the newly formed engineering and surveying firm Thomas and Hutton, as a draftsman and land surveyor. Upon obtaining his license as a Registered Land Surveyor in 1952, Bill and his family moved to Rome, Georgia, where he and Paul C. Williams of Rome, founded Williams & Sweitzer, Engineers & Land Surveyors. Later, with the addition of partner Herbert M. Barnum, the firm was re-named Williams, Sweitzer & Barnum, Inc. The firm grew to become a leading civil engineering and land surveying firm in Georgia, with offices in Rome, Huntsville, Alabama, and Atlanta, Georgia. Bill served as President of the firm, and as director of the land surveying and site planning divisions, until his retirement in 1991.

Bill and Marye were charter, and lifelong, members of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Rome, where he served as an Elder and Trustee. Bill was also active and well known in state and local professional and civic organizations, including the Surveying and Mapping Society of Georgia, Rome YMCA, Rome Jaycees and the Rome Lions Club. He was an active sportsman and outdoorsman, loved camping and fishing and was talented in golf, bowling, volleyball and softball. With his family and friends, he traveled by motorhome throughout the United States.

He is survived by his wife, Marye Sweitzer, children Daniel Steven Sweitzer (Denise Powers), David William Sweitzer (Jackie) and Rosanne Denise Sweitzer, all of Rome. Descendants include 4 grandchildren Wesley William Sweitzer (Emily), Jeffrey Steven Sweitzer (Amanda), Matthew Devin Sweitzer and Andrew Kevin Sweitzer (Eve), 6 great grandchildren Benjamin William Sweitzer, Mary Helen Sweitzer, Rainey Elizabeth Sweitzer, Samuel Mark Sweitzer, Aiden Mateo Sweitzer, Maxwell Christopher Martin Hansen and another on the way. He is also survived by a brother John Henry Sweitzer (Donna) of Rome, sisters Charlotte Frances Muse (Jim) and Martha Kathleen Ferguson (Bob) both of Morehead City, North Carolina, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Private family services will be held. A celebration of a life well lived will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Westminster Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund, 1941 Shorter Avenue, Rome, GA 30165.