John Alan Swain
July 7, 1939 –
John Alan Swain, aged 81, passed away peacefully under hospice care, following a long illness, at St. Joseph Main Hospital in Tampa, on Friday, June 11, 2021. He was born in London, England, on July 7, 1939.
John is survived by his son, Simon Swain and wife Julie Swain of Riverview, Fla.; his daughter, Zoe Swain Green and husband Michael Massengale of Apollo Beach, Fla.; step-children, Michael Pomice and wife May, Robert Pomice, and Laurie Gonzalez and husband David Gonzalez; grandchildren, Sarah Swain, Emma Green, Makenzie Massengale, Samantha Massengale, Isabella Massengale, Joshua Massey, Marisa Eckley, Hunter Eckley, Sommer Pomice, Brody Gonzalez, Levi Gonzalez and Grace Gonzalez; and three brothers, Derrick, Adrian and Andrew Swain. He was preceded in death by his dear wife, Judi Swain (2021), and his parents, Alan (1976) and Mary (2004) Swain.
Born right before the outbreak of World War ll, John vividly recalled being taken to shelter with air raid sirens blaring in London where he and his mother lived with her parents. He was six years old before he properly got to know his father, who had been away at sea with the Royal Navy since the war began.
He finished school in 1956 at Aldenham, a traditional English boarding school (founded in 1597), and began his career as a real estate agent soon after. In 1976 he moved his young family to Maryland, where he went to work as a home inspector, soon forming his own very successful company, Accusystem, with inspectors operating from Pennsylvania to Florida. He relocated to the Tampa area in 1988 and later sold the company to Sears. Forming a new company, he continued to be involved in the home inspection business right up until his death. He was an early luminary in that field, introducing many refinements that were adopted throughout the industry.
As a young man John loved jazz and (it is rumored) starred on alto sax in his early twenties in a trio that played dance gigs on weekends, only falling off the stage one time. Travel was his greatest passion. Over his lifetime he visited over 60 countries, including Mexico, Cuba, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, The Dominican Republic, Egypt, Cyprus, Morocco, Bahrain, Dubai, Madeira, Soviet and post-Soviet Russia, Ireland and almost every other country in Europe. Late in life he developed a deep appreciation for classical music and loved to watch live-recorded performances on YouTube. He also perfected a lifelong passion for fine food. Boy, did he love to eat.
John was known for his kindness, gentlemanly manner and incurable optimism, even after losing the love of his life Judi to Parkinson’s Disease early in 2021 and despite the multiple health issues that eventually brought his life to an end. His dry sense of humor was legend and largely appreciated among those who knew him well. He also loved reunions with his three brothers, who at one time lived on three different continents, and he always managed to get to wherever they had gathered to referee their rhetorical fistfights.
John will be sorely missed by family and friends, including his brothers and their extended families now spread across the globe. His life of love, adventure and ingenuity remain as an inspiration to all who knew him.
Plans for a memorial celebration of his life will be announced later.
John is survived by his son, Simon Swain and wife Julie Swain of Riverview, Fla.; his daughter, Zoe Swain Green and husband Michael Massengale of Apollo Beach, Fla.; step-children, Michael Pomice and wife May, Robert Pomice, and Laurie Gonzalez and husband David Gonzalez; grandchildren, Sarah Swain, Emma Green, Makenzie Massengale, Samantha Massengale, Isabella Massengale, Joshua Massey, Marisa Eckley, Hunter Eckley, Sommer Pomice, Brody Gonzalez, Levi Gonzalez and Grace Gonzalez; and three brothers, Derrick, Adrian and Andrew Swain. He was preceded in death by his dear wife, Judi Swain (2021), and his parents, Alan (1976) and Mary (2004) Swain.
Born right before the outbreak of World War ll, John vividly recalled being taken to shelter with air raid sirens blaring in London where he and his mother lived with her parents. He was six years old before he properly got to know his father, who had been away at sea with the Royal Navy since the war began.
He finished school in 1956 at Aldenham, a traditional English boarding school (founded in 1597), and began his career as a real estate agent soon after. In 1976 he moved his young family to Maryland, where he went to work as a home inspector, soon forming his own very successful company, Accusystem, with inspectors operating from Pennsylvania to Florida. He relocated to the Tampa area in 1988 and later sold the company to Sears. Forming a new company, he continued to be involved in the home inspection business right up until his death. He was an early luminary in that field, introducing many refinements that were adopted throughout the industry.
As a young man John loved jazz and (it is rumored) starred on alto sax in his early twenties in a trio that played dance gigs on weekends, only falling off the stage one time. Travel was his greatest passion. Over his lifetime he visited over 60 countries, including Mexico, Cuba, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, The Dominican Republic, Egypt, Cyprus, Morocco, Bahrain, Dubai, Madeira, Soviet and post-Soviet Russia, Ireland and almost every other country in Europe. Late in life he developed a deep appreciation for classical music and loved to watch live-recorded performances on YouTube. He also perfected a lifelong passion for fine food. Boy, did he love to eat.
John was known for his kindness, gentlemanly manner and incurable optimism, even after losing the love of his life Judi to Parkinson’s Disease early in 2021 and despite the multiple health issues that eventually brought his life to an end. His dry sense of humor was legend and largely appreciated among those who knew him well. He also loved reunions with his three brothers, who at one time lived on three different continents, and he always managed to get to wherever they had gathered to referee their rhetorical fistfights.
John will be sorely missed by family and friends, including his brothers and their extended families now spread across the globe. His life of love, adventure and ingenuity remain as an inspiration to all who knew him.
Plans for a memorial celebration of his life will be announced later.