Fred M. Swindell

Grovetown, GA - Fred M. Swindell, 72, husband of the late Celia McDaniel Swindell, entered into rest Thursday, May 30, 2019, at his residence. The family will hold memorial services on Friday, June 21, 2019. at the VFW located at 2430 Windsor Spring Rd, Augusta, GA, beginning at 6:00 PM. There will be a potluck dinner following the service and everyone is welcome. Mr. Swindell was the 10th of 10 children born to Joel Ervin Swindell and Armecia Leggett Swindell. He was born in August of 1946 in Washington, NC and graduated from Washington High School. Following high school, he started his apprenticeship at the Naval Shipyard in Newport News, VA. He was drafted for the Vietnam War while still in his apprenticeship and entered the military as a combat medic. He was thrust into the height of battle and was awarded the silver star for his bravery during the war. When he was discharged from the military, he entered college at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro. While enrolled he taught tennis lessons and managed a Shoney's restaurant to supplement his income. After graduation he accepted a position with the Richmond County Board of Education as a Physical Education teacher in the Hephzibah school system. He and Celia married and had two children, Kirsten Rebecca Swindell, and Joseph Fredrick Swindell, who both predeceased him. Due to his daughter's special needs he left the school system and went to work with Kimberly Clark, where he stayed until his retirement. Due to the deaths of his wife and children in a short period of time, he turned to photography as a means of coping. He traveled to Rugby games and photographed them. He was at every parade and photographed those. He loved families and took great joy in photographing them and giving them the pictures. He knew many people in and around Augusta and was truly loved and will be sadly missed. In addition to his parents, his wife, and his children, he was preceded in death by his brothers, James Swindell, and John Swindell; and his sisters, Ann Williams, Lila Williams, and Mildred Clark. He is survived by his brother, Robert Swindell, of Wales, United Kingdom; his sisters, Ellen Starnes, of Pinehurst, NC, Amy Hill, of Augusta, and Marie Lundeen, of Gloverville, SC; and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 2451 Crystal Drive, Ste 900, Arlington, VA 22202; Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675-8517; or to the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center - Downtown, 950 15thStreet, Augusta, GA 30904. Chance & Hydrick Funeral Directors, 2502 Richmond Hill Road, Augusta, GA, 30906.

Fred M. Swindell

June 17, 2019