Ralph Swann dead at 78

Auburn civic leader remembered for his many contributions, projectsEditor?s View By Deric RotheRalph Swann, a 78-year-old local icon, passed away quietly while watching TV in a rocking chair in his Auburn-area home sometime between Saturday night and Monday.The county coroner is investigating the cause of death, but it appears to be from a heart attack or other natural causes. Neighbors noticed that Swann had not come outside nor moved his truck since Saturday night and on Monday summoned the sheriff to investigate.Swann was perhaps the most well known person in Auburn. He was responsible for leading the downtown clocktower project, moving and refurbishing the train depot, starting the Christmas Basket program, remodeling the Rose Room at City Hall and many other worthwhile endeavors that will serve as lasting testaments to his volunteer efforts and love for Auburn.On my first day at work as editor of the Auburn Journal, Swann appeared at my office door, offering his unsolicited advice on the direction the newspaper needed to go.Initially, he slightly offended me with his aggressive style and outwardly chauvinistic attitude toward females in the office. But over the last four years I grew to like Swann and respect his volunteer spirit and at times overwhelming tenacity, even though I didn?t always agree with his methods for getting things done.A former master sergeant in the U.S. Army, who retired as a decorated lieutenant colonel, Swann was used to getting things done his way. His business card said, ?Welcome to My World ? Auburn.?He was a legend here, and the stories about Ralph Swann are numerous. I will never forget at the Community Festival a couple of years ago when Swann asked two pretty, 20-something blondes to dance with him at once. They agreed and Swann strutted his stuff out in front of everyone with the two young ladies, appearing as proud and happy as he could be. He was fearless and considered himself a lady?s man.Margareta Asgharzadeh, Swann?s ex-wife and the co-owner of Golden Swann Jewelers in downtown Auburn, was one of the last to see him. Though they were divorced and she had remarried, they remained very close friends.The Golden Swann hosted an open house Saturday and Ralph Swann was there most of the day, she said. She shed a few tears for her ex-husband Tuesday, and as executor of his estate, was working with Russ Baldo to make funeral arrangements through Chapel of the Hills.?Ralph was good-hearted and he loved his role as a knight in shining armor,? his ex-wife said. ?I want this town to know that someone really good has died. Ralph did a lot for Auburn. He had real guts and got things done.?I asked a few of the many people who knew Swann to offer their comments on this important civic leader, who won the McCann Award among many other accomplishments.Tom Homer, who was the Auburn Journal editor from 1982 to 1989 and who later wrote a book on Auburn, ?Crossroads of a Golden Era,? remembered Swann fondly.?There are very few places you can go in Auburn without seeing Ralph?s work,? Homer said. ?He was never paid. It was all done as a volunteer. Ralph would get materials, time and cash donated for whatever project he was working on. He sold bricks with people?s names on them to raise money for a couple of projects. He also was instrumental in starting the Christmas Basket Program.?Thousands of local children have been given toys at Christmastime and their families provided with food baskets through this cooperative program that Swann, Vic and Bobbie Tamietti and many others have offered our community for years out of Gold Country Fairgrounds.Bruce Cosgrove, chamber of commerce executive director for the last 18 years, has worked with Swann many times. He, too, was saddened by his passing.?Ralph was amazing,? Cosgrove said. ?What sticks out in my mind was his tireless energy. He made things happen. In the process, he challenged procedures. But in the end the project got done ? on time and on budget.?Cosgrove worked closely with Swann on the railroad depot project. The Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce is now housed in the former Southern Pacific railroad depot, located at the top of the hill on Lincoln Way. Swann first approached Southern Pacific, about the city?s buying the depot, back in 1988, during the Auburn?s centennial celebration, Homer said.The depot was eventually purchased and had to be moved about 120 feet and then be completely refurbished.?One night Ralph called me at home and asked me to make a commitment with him,? Cosgrove said. ?That commitment was that we wouldn?t let a single day go by without some work being done on the project. We did that and completed the depot job in 120 days. I remember at 1:30 in the morning being on my hands and knees with Ralph sanding the wood floors. Ralph didn?t just lead the projects, he got down on his hands and knees and worked.?Auburn City Councilwoman Cheryl Maki said she had a love-hate relationship with Swann. ?I knew him for 27 years,? she said. ?We didn?t always get along. But Ralph did a lot for Auburn. He built the clocktower, the park by the Livingston Building ? Ralph?s biggest mistake was running for office. I hope he won?t be remembered for the grand jury report.?Swann served on the Auburn Recreation District board and continued to do things his way during the mid to late ?90s. The grand jury challenged Swann?s methods and he ended up resigning from office. But he continued his tireless work for the community.Former Auburn Journal reporter Dena Erwin covered ARD during that time and she worked closely with Swann.?Ralph was one-of-a-kind,? Erwin said. ?He worked tirelessly for the city of Auburn. Even when he was involved in controversial situations, he always answered questions and took his criticism head-on.?Paul Ogden, Auburn city manager, also said Swann gave a lot of himself to the city.?Ralph will be remembered for his ability to get things done,? Ogden said. ?And for his projects, like the clocktower, which we see and use daily. He wasn?t always the easiest guy to work with, but we were always able to see eye to eye and get things resolved.?I have said before in my weekly column that the city ought to consider naming the East Placer park after Swann. Love him or hate him, Swann had a huge heart and he contributed immensely to our community.I don?t have all the particulars for an obituary yet. Those will be published later.Briefly, Swann was born Sept. 26, 1922. He joined the military during World War II and was a decorated veteran, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He met his future wife Margareta in Germany and they moved to Auburn in 1968. They built a number of houses here, bought and sold precious metals and eventually opened The Golden Swann Jewelers. One son, Allen, preceded Swann in death 15 years ago. He reportedly has one sister in Alabama. Once funeral service times are arranged, they will be announced on the front page of the Journal.Right now, Swann is probably up in Heaven giving God advice on how to run things and making suggestions for improving the place. Swann has probably already got some big beautification project going on up there, and you can bet he won?t be going through formal channels or getting building permits.Instead, he?ll be doing things his way. And they?ll be done on time and on budget, just like always.