Remembering George Swinford (1930–2026)
The Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society (PSTJS) mourns the passing of George Swinford, who left us on August 19, 2026. For decades, George was a quiet cornerstone of our society, serving as a dedicated charter member, board member, and one-time acting president. Alongside his beloved wife, Pat, he was a fixture at our concerts, dedicating his volunteer efforts to ensuring our community stayed connected, organized, and informed.
Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, George developed a lifelong love of syncopated rhythm during the region's mid-century jazz and ragtime revival. As a young man, he was an enthusiastic marching-band drummer, mastering the rudiments of the field snare drum. He spent afternoons and evenings on the Mississippi riverfront, hearing piano giants Charley Thompson and Speckled Red and listening to such bands as Singleton Palmer’s Dixieland 6 and the St. Louis Ragtimers (with Al Stricker, Bill Mason, Don Franz, and Trebor Tichenor).
George’s professional life mirrored his structured musical mind. Armed with a degree in engineering, he was proud of his work as a configurations engineer at Boeing. Rather than anchoring himself to a single production line, George spent much of his career working on advanced airplane concepts, cargo transport variants, and energy-efficient aerodynamic layouts. He notably contributed to NASA-airframe studies and layout work involving complex landing gear environments and fuselage sponsons for high-capacity heavy cargo lifters like the C-17 Globemaster. His career also included a brief stint in Toronto, Ontario, where he and Pat enthusiastically explored local hot-jazz venues like Grossman’s Tavern.
In Seattle, George channeled his passion into the PSTJS. He became a vital administrative presence while serving on the board and writing extensively in Jazz Soundings. His feature artist profiles were characterized by deep historical respect and clarity. He also shared a multi-decade friendship with reed player Ham Carson; both were analytical high-tech professionals who found creative release and community purpose in preserving early jazz.
George never sought the spotlight, yet his steady behind-the-scenes efforts kept our society moving forward. We extend our deepest condolences to Pat and the Swinford family. George’s precision as an engineer, his timing as a drummer, and his kindness as a friend will be sorely missed, but his legacy lives on in every syncopated beat we celebrate.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in George’s memory to the Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society to support the preservation of the music he loved. Donations can be made either by check to the address listed in this newsletter or online via the donations link at the top of our webpage (www.pstjs.org).
