Swerd has passed

[Dan]

I really can't thank you all enough for your kind words and wishes. It truly means a lot to me, and I showed all this to Bonnie his wife, as well. You guys are simply awesome. So was Rich, although I am not sure that he actually introduced Dennis Murphy, Jim Salk and Paul Kittinger LOL. He certainly was good friends with Dennis and Jim who I also consider friends.

 

[ryanosaur]

I really can't thank you all enough for your kind words and wishes. It truly means a lot to me, and I showed all this to Bonnie his wife, as well. You guys are simply awesome. So was Rich, although I am not sure that he actually introduced Dennis Murphy, Jim Salk and Paul Kittinger LOL. He certainly was good friends with Dennis and Jim who I also consider friends.

FWIW, Paul said he had never met Swerd, but that he was responsible for getting them together. Your brother told me the same thing separate from that post by Paul on AVS.
Dunno, but it’s a good story! I say run with it!!!

 

[Dan]

Who am I to argue? Rich made himself do not resuscitate when the end was near and never told any of us!

 

[ryanosaur]

Who am I to argue? Rich made himself do not resuscitate when the end was near and never told any of us!

FWIW:
#32,246

 

[jinjuku]

poop....

 

[Dan]

FWIW:
#32,246

THANK YOU. I had no idea Richard knew Paul K even if only online and had something to do with the magic at Salk and Philharmonic more than just enjoying them and promoting them on line. Sadly I don’t know how to reach Jim Salk any more and I am sure he would like to know.

 

[Ponzio]

THANK YOU. I had no idea Richard knew Paul K even if only online and had something to do with the magic at Salk and Philharmonic more than just enjoying them and promoting them on line. Sadly I don’t know how to reach Jim Salk any more and I am sure he would like to know.

Dan I would assume Dennis has told Jim about Richard's passing and is grieving like we all are.

I do have Jim's e-mail address though if you need it. Just let me know.

 

[Dan]

Dan I would assume Dennis has told Jim about Richard's passing and is grieving like we all are.

I do have Jim's e-mail address though if you need it. Just let me know.

I tried the email on the Salk site but not sure if it still works. Send me a pm please.

 

[andyswerdlow]

Hello all,

Swerd's son here.

Thank you, Dan for posting this. I had joined to do the same, but it never happened.

We had Richard's celebration of life service yesterday. The old JBLs provided the background music.
I grew up with them, so they are special to me. they were the seed that started my career in music and acoustics.

Towards the end of his life i put on the rolling stones 'let it bleed' which came out when he was in college. i have rarely seen him sit through a whole album--this is one. My dad's passion for music [that he liked] was contagious.

Dan mentioned the JBL thread to me. While looking for it, I found this instead...which is even better.

I know my dad enjoyed his time on here.

Thank you all for the kind words.

-Andy

 

[Mikado463]

nice remembrance of your Dad Andy !

 

[STRONGBADF1]

Just seen this...

This sucks. Cancer sucks.

Many great conversations, many funny moments.

Got to meet up with Richard once at an audio show in Maryland. Laughs and knowledge... good day.

Rest in peace Richard.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[lovinthehd]

Dan and Andy thanks for your posts, my condolences for your loss (our loss).

 

[Steve81]

My condolences on your loss Andy & Dan. Richard was one of the finest gentlemen I’ve ever had the honor to meet.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Hello all,

Swerd's son here.

Thank you, Dan for posting this. I had joined to do the same, but it never happened.

We had Richard's celebration of life service yesterday. The old JBLs provided the background music.
I grew up with them, so they are special to me. they were the seed that started my career in music and acoustics.

Towards the end of his life i put on the rolling stones 'let it bleed' which came out when he was in college. i have rarely seen him sit through a whole album--this is one. My dad's passion for music [that he liked] was contagious.

Dan mentioned the JBL thread to me. While looking for it, I found this instead...which is even better.

I know my dad enjoyed his time on here.

Thank you all for the kind words.

-Andy

I never met your Dad, but his posts on Audioholics revealed him to be wise, kind and funny. I certainly miss my interactions with him and his passing has left a big hole in this forum. You have my deepest condolences.

 

[Eppie]

Thank you for taking the time to post Andy. I chatted with Swerd a fair bit on the forums. I only spent one day visiting him and Bonnie two and half years ago but he was the type of man that left a lasting impression. I am really saddened that we won't be able to meet up again. I hope that the celebration of life was able to bring some closure. I also lost my father to cancer, so hang on to those happy memories as those are the ones that count.

 

[Ponzio]

Hello all,

Swerd's son here.

Thank you, Dan for posting this. I had joined to do the same, but it never happened.

We had Richard's celebration of life service yesterday. The old JBLs provided the background music.
I grew up with them, so they are special to me. they were the seed that started my career in music and acoustics.

Towards the end of his life i put on the rolling stones 'let it bleed' which came out when he was in college. i have rarely seen him sit through a whole album--this is one. My dad's passion for music [that he liked] was contagious.

Dan mentioned the JBL thread to me. While looking for it, I found this instead...which is even better.

I know my dad enjoyed his time on here.

Thank you all for the kind words.

-Andy

Your dad was very proud of you Andy.

It seems in every conversation we had, he would invariably update me on your life, especially after you married and gifted him a grandchild. He was over the moon, to say the least.

My best to your family and tell Bonnie me & my wife Mary send our love.

 

[Bucknekked]

My brother Richard aka here as Swerd, passed away yesterday after fifteen months with an aggressive lung cancer. He died peacefully with his family at his side and avoided much of the dreadful death that cancer can cause. He was 76.

Rich grew up in suburban Washington DC, our father was career civil service. 13 years older than me, he went to the university of North Carolina the same month I started kindergarten. After majoring in zoology, he spent 5 years in the navy (to avoid being drafted by the army and going to Vietnam) engaged in antisubmarine warfare during the cold war. He was stationed in Italy and Alaska.

He came back to Maryland and spent a year with the folks when I was in ninth grade and taught me many things like how to shave, but especially about music and stereos. After that he went to the Univ. of Connecticut and got a PhD in microbiology. While in CT he met his wife Bonnie, their first date was a Grateful Dead concert! Fun fact: when he was in Italy, and bored he wrote away to join the Grateful Dead fan club (Dead Freaks Unite! From their old albums). They replied that they never had anyone from Italy join before so he was made president of the Italian dead heads with the rights to sell Dead merchandise there. He never did that though.

After getting his degree, he came back to Maryland for a post doc at NIH and worked in some biotech firms around the area. Eventually he wound up at CTEP, a company that works with the National Cancer institute coordinating multicenter drug trials for cancer drugs. He retired about 8 ago. He has his wife Bonnie, two kids, one of whom helps design concert halls and other acoustic related architecture.

Rich was my best friend and best man at wedding number one (he had a Dead T shirt under his tux).

Of course, he was a regular contributor here at AH. He didn’t suffer fools well but was a master of the subtle put down. His thread on rehabilitating his JBL speakers, https://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/the-vintage-jbl-west-coast-sound-becomes-the….25014/

Is still IMO the best thread ever on this site. A few of you have written to me about him, sorry I haven’t been on much lately and didn’t see them, but thank you for your concern.

my condolences as well. I just saw the news. He was one of my favorites. Be well.