1960
John
2023
John "Jj" Swift
June 22, 1960 — May 25, 2023
John “JJ” Tracy Swift passed peacefully on May 25, 2023 in Tucson, Arizona.
JJ was born June 22, 1960 in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania to parents John W Swift and Ruth Stoner Swift Jodon. He spent his youth in western Pennsylvania and graduated high school from Berlin Brothersvalley High School.
JJ moved to southern Arizona in the late 1970’s, and it was here he raised his family. He married Janna (Gaskill) Lasher in Yuma on February 14, 1982. Though they would later divorce, Janna was still a part of the family and they remained close friends and co-parents.
JJ married Dione (Petersen), in Elgin, Arizona on April 5, 1986, where they became an instant family of six and would later have three more kids.
When he first moved to Arizona, he found work as a cowboy and then as a construction worker. JJ pursued a federal career, initially as a wildland firefighter for the United Sates Forest Service. He eventually transitioned to maintenance with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on the Gila District. He would go on to have several different positions with the BLM over the next 20+ years.
JJ was avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, especially with his children. JJ believed in building an outdoor ethic in youth, and so he assisted in numerous youth hunting camps and volunteered with the Hunter’s Education program with Arizona Game and Fish. JJ also believed in being a good neighbor, in whatever capacity was needed. In his lifetime he served as volunteer firefighter and was known to be the person to call if you needed help.
JJ is survived by wife Dione, his children Jennafer, Stefani, Tyler, Joleen, Kimberly, Traci and Johnny, his siblings Deanna, Thomas, and Tammy, his mother Ruth, seven grandchildren and one great granddaughter.
John is predeceased his father John W. Swift, adoptive father Thomas Jodon, and fathers-in-law Lenny Gaskill and Charles Petersen.
He was a loving father, faithful husband, great neighbor, and of course, known for his mustache. JJ will be missed dearly by all who knew him.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation or the National Wild Turkey Foundation’s JAKES program.
Wildland Firefighter Foundation
https://wffoundation.org/
National Wild Turkey Foundation JAKES Program
https://your.nwtf.org/members/donate/
JJ was born June 22, 1960 in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania to parents John W Swift and Ruth Stoner Swift Jodon. He spent his youth in western Pennsylvania and graduated high school from Berlin Brothersvalley High School.
JJ moved to southern Arizona in the late 1970’s, and it was here he raised his family. He married Janna (Gaskill) Lasher in Yuma on February 14, 1982. Though they would later divorce, Janna was still a part of the family and they remained close friends and co-parents.
JJ married Dione (Petersen), in Elgin, Arizona on April 5, 1986, where they became an instant family of six and would later have three more kids.
When he first moved to Arizona, he found work as a cowboy and then as a construction worker. JJ pursued a federal career, initially as a wildland firefighter for the United Sates Forest Service. He eventually transitioned to maintenance with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on the Gila District. He would go on to have several different positions with the BLM over the next 20+ years.
JJ was avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, especially with his children. JJ believed in building an outdoor ethic in youth, and so he assisted in numerous youth hunting camps and volunteered with the Hunter’s Education program with Arizona Game and Fish. JJ also believed in being a good neighbor, in whatever capacity was needed. In his lifetime he served as volunteer firefighter and was known to be the person to call if you needed help.
JJ is survived by wife Dione, his children Jennafer, Stefani, Tyler, Joleen, Kimberly, Traci and Johnny, his siblings Deanna, Thomas, and Tammy, his mother Ruth, seven grandchildren and one great granddaughter.
John is predeceased his father John W. Swift, adoptive father Thomas Jodon, and fathers-in-law Lenny Gaskill and Charles Petersen.
He was a loving father, faithful husband, great neighbor, and of course, known for his mustache. JJ will be missed dearly by all who knew him.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation or the National Wild Turkey Foundation’s JAKES program.
Wildland Firefighter Foundation
https://wffoundation.org/
National Wild Turkey Foundation JAKES Program
https://your.nwtf.org/members/donate/
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John "Jj" Swift, please visit our flower store.
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