Obituary: Gaylord K. Swim

Gaylord K. Swim 1948 ~ 2005 Gaylord Kingsley Swim, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away Saturday, February 5, in Provo, Utah, of causes incident to brain cancer. He was born December 17, 1948, in Carmel, California, to H. Dudley and Katherine Merrill Swim. In 1966 he graduated from Carmel High School and entered Pomona College at Claremont, California. After his sophomore year, Gaylord transferred to Brigham Young University, where he investigated The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and was baptized in August of 1968 at age 19. BYU and the Church played important roles throughout his life. He graduated from BYU in 1970 with a B.S. in Business Management, and served a mission for the Church in the Central German Mission (Dsseldorf) from 1970 to 1972. Following his mission, he returned to BYU to pursue an M.A. in Political Science. On June 1, 1973, Gaylord married Lauralyn Bankhead in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they were blessed with five children. As a couple, they set an example of mutual devotion, service, and faith. Among other church assignments, Gaylord served as a bishop at BYU, and as a counselor in the Lakeridge North Stake presidency from 1996 until his passing. Most of Gaylord's professional career was spent managing investments. In 1984 he opened and managed a branch office for Dominick & Dominick. By 1989 he had established what would become Pillar Capital Advisors, which he led until his retirement in 2003. In addition to his investment management practice, he served on the boards of directors of EFI Electronics, Covey Leadership Center, and Eyring Research Institute, and established the Foundation for the American West, a community foundation. Gaylord spent much of his life engaged in civic affairs. In 1995 he founded the Sutherland Institute a Utah-focused public policy research organization. He also founded Rural Health Management Corporation, served as a trustee of Central Valley Medical Center, and was awarded Utah Hospital Trustee of the Year in 1993. He served on the boards of the State Policy Network, Deseret International Foundation, Enterprise Mentors, and the Utah National Parks Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He had a deep commitment to education, a commitment which spanned all age groups in both public and private sectors. He served as chairman of American Heritage Schools for more than a decade, working intently to introduce new curriculum as well as direct the design and construction of a new campus. In 2004, he chaired an ad hoc committee that studied a proposed division of Alpine School District. At the time of his death, he was a member of the President's Leadership Council at BYU and an advisory board member of the Foundation for American Christian Education. Regardless of the endeavor, his goals were always the same: foster faith, develop character, teach principles, promote accountability, build the community, and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society. Gaylord was preceded in death by his father, Dudley (1972), and mother, Katherine (2001). He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Laurie; children Stanford (Michelle), Lyall (Jennifer), Mary Kay Ware (Michael), Laura Hale (Chase) and Rachel; siblings Marilyn Lenahan (John) and Roger; and six grandchildren. Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 11, 2005, at 11 a.m. at the Orem Lakeridge North Stake Center (450 S. 100 W., Orem, UT). Friends and family are invited to attend a viewing Thursday, February 10, from 6-8 p.m. at the Berg Mortuary (185 E. Center St., Provo, UT), and Friday, February 11, from 9- 10:30 a.m. at the Orem Lakeridge North Stake Center. Interment will be at East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery in Provo, UT. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the General Missionary Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Condolences may be sent to www.BergMortuary.com.