George Swanson

George Swanson, age 84, of Wayne, originally of Kearny, New Jersey, and a longtime former resident of Budd Lake and Johnsonburg, New Jersey, passed away on Sunday, July 28, 2024, surrounded by his loving family.  Born in Newark, New Jersey, George was raised in Kearny where he attended St. Cecelia’s grammar school and High School graduating in 1958 from Kearny High. George loved sports and played basketball and soccer for St. Cecelia’s and Kearny High and won many awards and accolades. He spent his childhood summers at the Jersey shore vacationing in Lavallette, and later on working at his uncle’s hotel in Ocean Grove, the Ardmore-Summerfield. He pursued higher education, first at Davis and Elkins in West Virginia, before transferring to what was then Jersey City State College where he graduated in 1963 with a degree in Social Studies and English. He began his teaching career in the Keyport school system before returning to Kearny and teaching in Palisades Park, Newark and Denville. He also worked for the Essex County Special Services Commission. Simultaneously, he worked part time from his college years at Boystown in Kearny where he attained the position of Superintendent until he and three of his college friends opened Lakeview Learning Center in 1981, a private school for the disabled, which still exists today in Wayne, New Jersey.

George never retired! He was a natural born leader and public servant. He served as president of his college fraternity, and President of the Mt. Olive Town Council in Budd Lake. He was a HUGE Rutger’s fan (where his two daughter's graduated), and had season football tickets since 1991. He loved dining out and travelling. He travelled with his wife, Beth, and many times his entire family, and friends, to many destinations in Europe and Scandinavia, as well as Aruba and the Caribbean and beyond. He also had a boat that he and his family sailed on Lake Hopatcong, and then in the early 2000’s bought a condo at the Ocean Club in Mantoloking that overlooked the Atlantic Ocean. He and his family spent many beautiful summers at the Jersey Shore and made many wonderful friends.

George married his sweetheart Elizabeth (Beth) Rooney in 1966 and is survived by her, and their three beautiful children: Jacqueline and her son Jacob, Karen Diaz and her husband, Ralph, and their children Kyle and Lauren, and his son George. As well as his sister, Joan Belfiore and her children Alice Sabella and her husband Dannie, Tammy Buschgans and her husband Rick, her son Vincent, and his sister Joyce Hackett and her daughter Alyssa Cook and her husband Mike.

He is also survived by his deceased sister Lois Elliott’s six children Jimmy and his wife Mary, Kenny and his wife Erica, Sean and his wife Tina, Wayne and his wife Donna, Brian and his wife Kelly, and Shannon McGee and her husband Tim as well as numerous grand nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by his parents, Alice and George, and Joan’s husband Robert Belfiore and Joyce Hackett’s husband Wayne.