James Patrick Swift
Marriages
Lisa Wendland
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 5A Obituary - February 16, 2017
James Patrick Swift, wellknown
Grand Junction Border
Collie handler and trainer,
died of lung cancer on
February 12, 2017, at the age
of 71.
He is survived by his wife,
Lisa (Wendland), and
daughter, Kelsey (Justin)
Genter of Denver, Colorado.
Swift was born in Des
Moines, Iowa, and was a graduate of Dowling High School. He
earned his BS Degree in Business Management from the
University of Iowa in 1968. After graduation he served in the
U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam as an infantry platoon
commander. He was a medically-retired 1st Lieutenant of the
U.S. Marines Corp.
After military service he moved to Vail, where he learned to
ski, became a ski instructor, ranch hand, calf roper, bartender,
and restauranteur. He opened the stunningly successful
Aurelio’s in 1986. His forte was business management,
including land development, restaurants, and propane gas
utilities over a 30-year span.
His lifelong passion was training and breeding sheep dogs,
beginning in 1986 with Jim, a Border Collie. His initial Border
trial win took place in September 1990. He went on to many
other wins and placings, especially with favorite sheep dogs,
Dan and Zac. Along the way he served on the Board of
Directors of the U.S. Borders Collie Handlers Association for
14 years, serving four as Vice President. He then served six
years on the Board of Directors of the American Border Collie
Association, two years as Vice President and two as President.
Parents, G. Gerald and Albena Swift, as well as his older
brother, Thomas, preceded him in death. He is survived by three
sisters, Patricia Murrane (Michael deceased) and Kathie Swift,
both of Des Moines, as well as Mary Neswold (Ted) of
Naperville, Illinois, and many nephews and nieces and their
children across the country.
Ever-faithful Border Collies, Molly and Jett, plus wire-haired
Dachshund, Spike (who thinks he is a Border Collie), mourn his
loss.
Please join us at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western
Colorado for a Memorial Service on Friday, February 17, at
3:00 p.m.
Memorial donations can be made to the Roice-Hurst Humane
Society, Wreaths Across America, or HopeWest Hospice. For
information about contributions, please refer to our website at
www.callahan-edfast.com.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 6 B Obituary - February 15, 2017
James Patrick Swift, wellknown
Grand Junction Border
Collie handler and trainer,
died of lung cancer on
February 12, 2017, at the age
of 71.
He is survived by his wife,
Lisa (Wendland), and
daughter, Kelsey (Justin)
Genter of Denver, Colorado.
Swift was born in Des
Moines, Iowa, and was a graduate of Dowling High School. He
earned his BS Degree in Business Management from the
University of Iowa in 1968. After graduation he served in the
U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam as an infantry platoon
commander. He was a medically-retired 1st Lieutenant of the
U.S. Marines Corp.
After military service he moved to Vail, where he learned to
ski, became a ski instructor, ranch hand, calf roper, bartender,
and restauranteur. He opened the stunningly successful
Aurelio’s in 1986. His forte was business management,
including land development, restaurants, and propane gas
utilities over a 30-year span.
His lifelong passion was training and breeding sheep dogs,
beginning in 1986 with Jim, a Border Collie. His initial Border
trial win took place in September 1990. He went on to many
other wins and placings, especially with favorite sheep dogs,
Dan and Zac. Along the way he served on the Board of
Directors of the U.S. Borders Collie Handlers Association for
14 years, serving four as Vice President. He then served six
years on the Board of Directors of the American Border Collie
Association, two years as Vice President and two as President.
Parents, G. Gerald and Albena Swift, as well as his older
brother, Thomas, preceded him in death.
He is survived by three sisters, Patricia Murrane (Michael
deceased) and Kathie Swift, both of Des Moines, as well as
Mary Neswold (Ted) of Naperville, Illinois, and many nephews
and nieces and their children across the country.
Ever-faithful Border Collies, Molly and Jett, plus wire-haired
Dachshund, Spike (who thinks he is a Border Collie), mourn his
loss.
Please join us at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery for a
Memorial Service on Friday, February 17, at 3:00 p.m.
Memorial donations can be made to the Roice-Hurst Humane
Society, Wreaths Across America, or HopeWest Hospice. For
information about contributions, please refer to our website at
www.callahan-edfast.com.
