Charles Miller McSwain

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Charles Miller McSwain, age 79, of Fort Smith, died June 11, 2012 in Barling, Ark. He was born December 2, 1932 in Little Rock, Ark. to Cecil Edwin and Frances Huntington Miller McSwain. He graduated from high school from Chamberlain Hunt Military Academy in Port Gibson, Mississippi in 1950. After high school he entered the cadet program at Nellis Air Force Base and graduated a second lieutenant in the Air Force in 1951. He was sent to Korea in 1952 to fly the new F-86 Sabre jet. Upon his return from Korea, he was stationed in San Marcos, Texas. After marrying his wife Mary Warren Huntley McSwain, they attended the University of Arkansas. While there, Charles was asked to move to Washington, D.C. to be an aide to Senator John McClellan of Arkansas in 1957. He served the Senator as an aide, and as Assistant Bill Clerk of the United States Senate. While in Washington, he completed college at George Washington University where he was a member of the Epsilon Chapter of Sigma Chi fraternity. He served the Senator until 1961 when Charles and Mary returned to Arkansas. During his 36 year career at the 188th Air National Guard, he logged approximately 6,200 hours in F-100's, Voodoo-101s, and F-4s. He filled many leadership roles until 1987 when he retired as Deputy Commander. After he retired from the military, a generation of young men and women knew "Colonel Mac" as the worst-joke-telling substitute teacher in the Fort Smith Junior and Senior High Schools. He was active in both St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church and St. John's Episcopal Church serving as Senior Warden, Junior Warden, and a delegate to the Diocesan Conventions. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mary Warren Huntley McSwain of the home; one daughter, Amy McSwain Baker and son-in-law James L. Baker of Collinsville, Oklahoma; son, John Miller McSwain and daughter-in-law Angela S. McSwain of McKinney, Texas; one sister, Frances McSwain Pruitt of St. Petersburg, Fla.; and four grandchildren, Madelyn Dabbs McSwain, Mary Huntley McSwain, Alexander Warren Baker and Mary Kathryn Baker. He was preceded in death by one son, Scott Huntley McSwain, and two brothers, Dr. Johnson Witt and C.E. "Mickey" McSwain. Funeral service will be Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 1 p.m. in the St. John's Episcopal Church with burial to follow in the Roselawn Cemetery all under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home. Honorary pallbearers will be H.C. Varnadore, Bill Strang, Peter Schutz, Charles Werner, and Bill Hanson. The family will greet friends at Edwards Funeral Home on Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. Memorials may be made to the Good Samaritan Clinic 615 North "B" Street Fort Smith, Ark. 72901 or the St. John's Sack Lunch Program 215 North 6th Fort Smith, Ark. 72901, To sign an online guestbook visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com.