Obituary of Harriett L. Swan

NORWOOD-- Harriett L. Swan, 44 Prospect St. Norwood, passed away on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 at her home surrounded by her family after an 11 year battle with breast cancer. Harriett was born October 12, 1934, the daughter of the late Ora and Eva Lamb of West Stockholm. She attended local schools graduating from Potsdam High School in 1951, from SUNY, Potsdam in 1955, later attending Syracuse University and St. Lawrence University, receiving one of the first Master's Degree in Special Education Administration, ever given by SLU in 1984. She was an elementary teacher in Gouverneur, then in Ogdensburg where she started teaching Special Education, she then taught Spec Ed in Massena at Jefferson School, leaving that to join BOCES as a Special Education Administrator and she retired from BOCES in 1991 and was honored by them by the awarding to her of the coveted “Master Teacher” award. She then joined St. Lawrence University as an adjunct professor and taught graduate students certification courses until retiring in 2010 because of illness---a teaching span of some 55 years. On April 25, 1962, she married Joseph Swan at Trinity Church in Potsdam and they later moved to Norwood. She is survived by her husband Joseph, 6 children: Jacqueline {Thomas} Chatterton of Massena, Anona {Eric} Pettry of Ft. Pierce, Fla, William {Lynn} Swan of Chase Mills, Susan Pollock { Peter Reynolds} of Norwood, James {Amalia} Swan of Liverpool and John {Cathy} Swan of Cicero, 13 Grandchildren and 8 Great-Grandchildren. Active in both church and community, Harriett served on the NNCS school board and was a past president of it. Harriett served at St. Philip's Church as a Lay Reader and became a Lay Eucharistic Minister and also served as vestryperson and later warden, she was very active in the Norwood Kiwanis Club until her death, serving as president and later Lt. Governor of the St. Lawrence Division of Kiwanis. In addition she was very active in the Episcopal Diocese of Albany serving on the Diocesan Standing Committee for a number of years. At the request of the State Education Department in Albany, Harriett started {with the help of the Massena J.C.'s} the Special Olympic program that we have in the North Country. She was also an avid reader and in her earlier years, she loved owning and riding horses. Calling hours will be held 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday and 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Buck Funeral Home in Norwood. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Norwood with Mother Kathryn Boswell presiding. In lieu of flowers, if you wish, donations can be made to Special Olympics or to Hospice of Northern New York in Harriett's name. Memories and condolences may be shared online at www.buckfuneralhome.com . The Buck Funeral Home in Norwood is serving the family of Harriett L. Swan.