It was World War II and Ray Swam was scouting for Germans in the U.S. Army (26th Inf. Div., 104th Inf., Co. K). He started to cross a forest clearing when his battle buddy alerted him to enemy fighters down range. Swaim tried to make it back to the treeline for cover, but the Germans opened fired and shot him in the ankle.
Ray Daniel Swaim, born April 27, 1926, died Jan. 28 at age 90. A memorial service was Jan. 31, and he was buried at Georgia National Cemetery on Feb. 1.
His injury led eventually to amputation but he never let that define him. “One of the biggest things that stand out to me was his determination and willingness to be treated just like every other father,” his son Larry said. Losing his leg didn’t stop him from teaching his son sports. “He would go out for passes and never let his leg bother him,” he said. “I told my friends he ran routes better than Julio Jones.”
Although he didn't talk about it much, his time in WWII shaped his life. In an interview for Witness to War (www.witnesstowar.org), Swaim said the doctor spent 22 months in the hospital trying to save his leg. "I'd had several operations and I had osteoporosis," he said. After weighing options his doctor gave him, he opted for amputation. "I think that was the best thing for me."
Ray and his wife, Helen, moved to Atlanta in 1949, where he began his banking career and worked for C&S National Bank for 38 years. Brenda Molton, Ray’s daughter, said she couldn’t have had a better math tutor than her father. “I was always awful at math,” she said. “He was the one that would always help me with my homework in math. And then, I eventually became a banker also.”
As her tutor, “He never got upset with me if I didn’t know something right away. He would always work with me and give me other ways to come up with answers to the problems. It would always involve thinking outside the box.”
Brenda said her dad was very “family oriented.” She remembers when Ray first got his artificial leg and as a young girl, she followed him around the house while he learned to walk on it.
In family vacations in Destin, Fla., he created memories that lasted forever, she said. “He could not walk on the sand very easily” because of his leg, “but he would always make the trip down to the water whenever he could.” The family sensed his leg gave him some pain, but he never let that pain show. “You would never know he was in pain. He spent the time with us because we all loved the water.”
Brenda’s husband, Henry Molton, said there were only two things Ray said he always wanted to do, but physically couldn’t. One was ride a motorcycle, the other was ski. “Other than that, if you were playing badminton, or if you were golfing around in the backyard, he was right there with you,” Henry said.
Ray was a member of the Snellville Lions Club and had a hand in other community projects. “I remembered going with him and some of his companions to deliver gifts to needy families on Christmas,” Larry said.
Anna Molton, Ray’s granddaughter, said he was a positive light for the people he met. From people at his memorial, she said, “I heard over and over that they’re going to miss my grandfather’s hugs and his smile.” Even the preacher remarked about Swaim’s ability to make him happier in a good mood and lift him up in a bad mood.
“He was always very personable with people,” she said. “In some ways, he provided comfort to everybody.” And he always made sure his family was first. Anna remembers him holding and her hand in the hospital, gently squeezing it. “All the way up until the very end, he was still trying to make sure all of us were okay and that everything was in order.”
Ray is survived by his wife of 67 years, Helen, daughter Brenda Molton, (Henry), sons Larry (Becky), and Mike (Doreen), grandchildren Anna and Daniel Molton, and great grandchildren Aubrey and Candler Molton.
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