James Wilbur Swaeby

Local commercial real estate broker and community volunteer, Jim Swaeby, died March 14 of cancer at TRU Hospice Care Center. He was 71. A graveside service will take place Monday, March 21, 2016 at Green Mountain Cemetery, 290 20th Street, Boulder, at 10:00 A.M. with military honors being provided by the United States Army. A service of remembrance in celebration of Jim's life will be held at Grace Lutheran Church, 1001 13th Street, Boulder, at 11:00 A.M.. A reception will follow the service at the church. Jim was born June 23, 1944 in East Chicago Indiana to Clarence Ivan Swaeby and Gladys H. (nee Behn) Swaeby. When he was nine months old his family moved to a ranch east of Pueblo Colorado. At age five, he moved with his family to the farm and lake at the south east corner of US 287 and Arapahoe (the historical 9-Mile Corner). They lived at that location until 1956 when they moved into Boulder. Jim attended grades one through ten at Boulder Junior Academy. He graduated from Fairview High School in 1963 as Fairview's third Head Boy. After attending Boulder Junior Academy and Fairview, Jim enrolled in his third school in town - the University of Colorado. There he received a B.S. in Business (1967) followed in 1971 with an MBA. After college, Jim became a volunteer in the U.S. Peace Corps in the Kingdom of Tonga, a small island country in the South Pacific where he started a school to train Tongan agricultural extension agents.After nine months, his service was cut short when he was the first Peace Corps volunteer to be drafted. Jim spent thirteen months in Viet Nam with the 1st Cavalry Division (Air Mobile). Among his decorations, Sergeant Swaeby was awarded two Bronze Stars, two Air Medals and the Viet Namese Cross of Gallantry (With Palm). Upon his discharge from the Army Jim married Susan Geer on April 19, 1970 in Boulder at the University Lutheran Chapel. They have two daughters, Cynthia and Jennifer. As loyal Buff alums, he and Susan have been CU football season tickets holders since 1963. Jim was employed by United Banks of Colorado for sixteen years and then was a Commercial Real Estate Broker with the Colorado Group in Boulder for twenty six years. In 1999 Jim was selected as the Boulder Camera Pacesetter in Business and in 2015 he received the Dean Callan award from the Commercial Brokers of Boulder. In 1989 he was a founder of the CU Leeds School of Business Real Estate Council and Center. As a representative of the Colorado Ballet he was involved with the formation of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Jim chaired the Boulder Urban Renewal Authority during the development of the 29th Street shopping center and the St. Julien Hotel. His longtime interest in Boulder's history included board positions with Historic Boulder, the Boulder History Museum and the CU Boulder Historic Resources Preservation Advisory Committee. Jim was a lifetime member of the American Institute of CPA's and the CU Boulder Directors Club. Jim was a member of Grace Lutheran Church for 55 years and served a term as board Chair of Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountain. Since joining the Boulder Rotary Club in 1994, he has served on the board of directors and numerous committees. Jim is survived by Susan, his wife of 45 years; his daughters Cynthia (Philip) Dvorak of Santa Clarita, CA and Jennifer (Mark) Zaccone of Broomfield, CO; granddaughter Addison Geer Zaccone; grandson Whitley James Dvorak; his brother Ned (Kay) Swaeby of Longmont, CO; his sister Nancy Harr of Omaha, NE. and his in-laws 98 year old Elbe Geer, Nancy Metcalf and Jack (JodiWilliams) Geer of Boulder and Lora (Fred) Lindblom of La Mesa, CA. He was predeceased by his parents. If you wish to honor Jim's memory please do an unexpected act of kindness or generosity for someone less privileged. "Give freely of that which costs you nothing," by remembering Jim with one of his favorite sayings. Please share thoughts, memories and condolences at legacy.com/obituaries/daily camera.