Obituary of Colby Corson Swan

The Reverend Colby Corson Swan, Senior of Rockland, Maine, went to be with his Lord and Savior on December 2, 2016 at the age of 89 after an extended illness. Colby is survived by his wife of 60 years, Ethel Stone Swan, and his four children: Julia Swan of Portland, Maine; Becca Swan and her partner Jay Leech of Hope, Maine; Colby Swan, Jr. and his wife Sharon of Iowa City, Iowa; and Ed Swan and his wife Pam of Daphne, Alabama. He also leaves behind eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren along with a number of nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his cousin, Warren Mitchell and his wife Joanne of Gorham, Maine. Colby was born on October 23, 1927, in Shanghai, China where his father was in the banking business. While a young boy in China, his mother often brought her three children (Colby, older sister Joan, and younger brother Joey - both deceased) back to Maine to spend summers at Pleasant Pond in Caratunk, Maine, where Colby‘s lifelong love for “the Pond“ began. In 1936, his family permanently returned to the States settling in Bedford, New York. Because he was more of a prankster than a student, Colby dropped out of high school in 1945, joined the Army, and served his country in Greenland with the 8th Weather Squadron. After leaving the Army, Colby attended the University of Maine at Orono, graduating in 1951 with a degree in business. After a couple of years on the road with a cold weld processing company, he did graduate work in industrial engineering at RPI in Troy, New York. Subsequently he landed a job with Yale and Town in Philadelphia. In 1955 Colby took an industrial engineering position in a shoe factory in Norway, Maine, where he met and fell in love with his future wife, Ethel Stone of Gardiner. They were married in Portland in 1956. By 1961, the couple had four children and the young family had settled in Paris Hill, a small community on the outskirts of Norway and South Paris. Due to the persistent efforts of their good friends Dexter and Mary Wheeler, Colby and Ethel became born again Christians in 1959 and soon after decided to commit their lives full time to the Lord's work. In 1963, the young family relocated first to Arizona where Colby attended Arizona Bible College, and then to California in 1964 where Colby earned a Masters in Religious Education degree from Talbot Theological Seminary. In 1967, Colby took a job with Christian Schools Inc. in Glen Cove, Maine as the Director of Development for Glen Cove Christian Academy and Glen Cove Bible College. Once again, the family moved cross country and returned to Maine settling in the south end of Rockland. After Christian Schools closed in 1979, he became the General Administrator for the New England Bible College in Portland, Maine and then the Headmaster for the Boston Christian School in Boston, Massachusetts. Colby ended his official working career fulfilling his longtime desire of being a pastor and served as the pastor at the Calvary Baptist Church in Dorchester, Massachusetts for 7 years. After retiring from the pastorate in 1996, Colby and Ethel returned to Rockland, Maine for good and were active members of the First Baptist Church in Rockland. Colby taught a number of Sunday School classes over the years with his most passionate topics being evangelism, eschatology, and systematic theology. He also served on the elder and mission boards. Additionally, Colby held Bible classes for inmates in the Maine State Prison. He loved teaching and every other type of work he was ever involved in. He was eternally optimistic. A highlight of Colby’s “retired” life was a return trip to China with Ethel in 1999. Until a few years ago, Colby and Ethel traveled to visit their children and grandchildren in various locations across the country. During the summer months, they would often stay at their idyllic “shamp” on Pleasant Pond in Caratunk where Colby worked tirelessly to clean up the surrounding woods of brush and blow downs. He derived much pleasure and satisfaction from such activity. Colby will be especially missed by his loved ones still here on earth. It is his greatest desire for all who read this to know that he is now in heaven and that anyone…yes, anyone…can have the assurance of joining him there someday by simply believing that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” and trusting in Jesus alone for forgiveness of sins and eternal life. “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” John 11:25 The family is very grateful for the care and concern tendered by Hospice through Maine Health Care at Home. A memorial service followed by a visiting and fellowship reception is planned for Sunday, January 1st from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at First Baptist Church, 215 Limerock Street, Rockland, Maine. Those who wish may give gifts in Colby’s name to First Baptist Church of Rockland, ME or Maine Health Care at Home. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.directcremationofmaine.com.