Michael Baird Swoffer

Mike Swoffer, 79, of Spokane passed away on December 2, 2018.  He was born in Tracy, MN on September 23, 1939.  His siblings remember waking up to Mike and their father making cinnamon rolls on Saturday mornings when they were kids and as a brother that was fun loving and always easy to talk to.  Mike graduated from Walnut Grove High School in 1957.  He was active in high school where he was involved in the student council, varsity athletics, and the F.F.A.  After starting college at Mankato State, he moved to California where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Francisco State University.

It was in San Francisco where he met Sally Shields.  They married in 1966 and moved to Spokane in 1967.  They had two children and remained married for 49 years.   Mike had a passion for his family.  There was rarely a time he wasn’t there to go on sailboat trips / weekend getaways with his family, throw the ball / go skiing with his sons, or golf with his friends.  In retirement, he was a voracious reader.  The day always started with a cover to cover reading of the Spokesman-Review and Wall Street Journal.  Afternoons often included a trip with Sally to “Barnes” to sip coffee and read books.

Mike had a 29 year career in pharmaceutical sales with Lederle Laboratories (now Pfizer).  He was a regular participant in the yearly Gold Cup trip, an award for the company’s top salespeople.  He retired in 1994 at age 55. 

Mike was preceded in death by his parents Richard (’86) and Katherine (’14), and his wife Sally (‘16.) 

Mike loved his family very much and will be deeply missed.  He is survived by his two sons, their spouses, and two grandchildren – Tom, Sue and Hannah Swoffer, and Zach, Sarah and Thomas Swoffer as well as his four siblings - Marietta Faragalli, Pam Ebbesen, Suzanne Hoffman, and John Swoffer.  

Memorial Services will be held at 11am, January 12, 2019, at Hennessey Funeral Home & Crematory, 2203 N Division St, Spokane, WA 99207.

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