Obituary of Robert J. Swoditch

NAUGATUCK – Robert Swoditch, 78, passed away on April 3, 2018. He was the husband of the late Janice (Johnson) Swoditch.

Bob was born July 4, 1939 in Wilkes Barre, PA to the late Michael and Ladislaa

(Obarowski) Swoditch. He grew up on Washington Hill having moved there when he was 5 years old.  At 16, he met Janice, who was a year younger.  He often said that she straightened him out as he was “in the gutter looking up” when he met her.  They were married for 49 years.  They camped for many years in East Haddam and East Hampton and traveled extensively.

Bob worked at the Meriden School for the Boys as a house father, at Overhead Door and operated his side business, Bob’s Auto Seat Covers for many years.  He served from 1960 to 1966 in the National Guard and was stationed at the Nike Missile Site in Ansonia.  Bob was a self-taught truck driver from a young age, having “borrowed” the International Harvester Trucks on South Main Street to learn.  Bob logged more than three million miles working for Westvaco in Meriden delivering corrugated cardboard to NY (Broadway, Port Authority), NJ and CT.  He loved cars and owned over 200 cars in his lifetime.  His favorites were a 1949 Dodge Business Coupe and a blue Mercedes Benz.  Driving every day bought him joy after Janice died.

Bob is survived by his daughter Mary-Elizabeth “Mare” Fox of Shutesbury, MA, his son, Robert J. Swoditch Jr. of Naugatuck and his grandchildren Sean, Shannon and Kendall Fox.

Special thanks to Bob’s neighbors, including Bruce and Jean Kirk and Paul Clement, who helped him age in place.

There are no calling hours.  Burial will be private. Prospect Memorial is handling the arrangements.  

A get together will be held on April 28, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the pavilion at Frankie’s Hot Dog Stand, 700 Watertown Avenue, Waterbury.