Alaska contractor, wind-generation pioneer, dies in Arizona

A celebration of Bob's life will be held sometime in January.

Bob was born Sept. 4, 1930, in Seattle, Wash. He was the first of three sons born to Martha and Axel Swanson, originally of Sweden.

Bob enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served his country in the Korean War. He met and married Patricia Darwin while stationed in Austin, Texas, and together they reared four children.

Following in his father's footsteps, Bob became an electrician, project estimator and project manager for various companies, working throughout the country. In 1972, he and Patricia started S&S Electric in Seattle and moved the company to Anchorage in 1974 to begin a new chapter in their lives. The company eventually became Swanson General Contractors, which was respected for its expertise in airfield lighting, wind generation and logistically challenging projects throughout Alaska, Hawaii, the Lower 48 states and international locales.

Bob relished the challenges of completing projects in such far-flung locations as Sakhalin Island, Russia; Ascension Island, U.K.; Guam and Hawaii, as well as all corners of Alaska. He constructed the first large-scale wind generation project in the state of Alaska at Nelson Lagoon in 1977, one of the first commercially viable wind farms in Hawaii in 1985, the first runway lighting project at Denver International Airport in 1993 and one of the largest wind/diesel projects ever constructed at the time on Ascension Island in 2003.

In his early years, Bob was an excellent skier and ski jumper and passed on his love for the sport to all of his children. When his children were ski racing, the family would travel throughout the Pacific Northwest in the family camper to attend races where Bob was usually working as a race official. Bob rose to the highest international level for ski racing officials as a certified FIS Technical Delegate, which he retired from in the late 1970s.

Bob especially enjoyed spending time with his family and friends at his cabin and fish camp at Neil Lake, located near the Deshka River, which soon became his second home. He loved to introduce many a "cheechako" to the great Alaska outdoors, teaching them to fish and enjoy the many wonders of this special place. More than anything, he loved to have his family with him while watching from his throne near the fire pit.

After his wife Pat died in 1997, he spent a great deal of his time in Russia helping to build a modern city for oil field workers in Yuzhno Sakhalin. Through the many friends he made working in Russia, he found Natalia, who loved and cared for him until the end and will now be loved and cared for by his children.

He is also survived by his brother, Arnie Swanson; daughter, Debbie Page and husband Jimmy; daughter, Carla Audett-Day; son, Rob and his wife Sande; son, Carl and his wife Annette; his grandchildren, Ryan Audett and wife Crystal, Jeremy and Shannon Page, Karin and Kirsten Swanson, Zackary and Jennie Day and Robbie Monge-Swanson; and his great-grandchildren, Austin, Rydin and Cyrus, all of Anchorage. Bob also leaves his surrogate daughter, Valerie Maxim, who was by his side for many years, and many other close friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Rodney.

Bob will be missed greatly for his humor and wisdom and also for his generosity toward family and friends, many of whom relied on him over the years for support and understanding. There will be a void in their lives forever where once Bob dwelt, his family said.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to Special Olympics.

Visit the online memorial at legacy.com