Charles E. Swett, 97, died peacefully at home on March 12, 2022, surrounded by family. Charles was born on July 23, 1924, on the Swett Family Farm in Kennebunk, son of Ezra and Gladys (Hatch) Swett, and is a graduate of Kennebunk High School.
Charles was drafted into the U.S. Army in March of 1942 and served his country during World War II in several European locations, including England, France, Belgium and Germany, as a rifleman and driver of company troops. He was licensed in the operation of several different wheeled and tracked vehicles.
He returned home from war in 1946 and took several part-time jobs as he was the only one in the family available to be able to find work. Eventually, Charles joined the U.S. Forest Service, first as a scaler of forest products, then as a supervisor of a harvesting crew for several years, and finally as supervisor of the Forest Service’s genetics experiment. Altogether, Charles gave his country 42 years of service, first in the Army and later with the Forest Service. Charles retired from his career in 1988, but continued to work part-time as a surveyor for Massabesic Experimental Forest in Alfred. During his time there, he traveled to several other state forests for trainings. In addition to his Forest Service work, Charles built or helped build most of the houses on his family’s land.
Charles married Lois Blanchard in November 1947 and together they had six children. Charles was ultimately blessed with 13 grandchildren.
In his spare time, Charles loved spending time in his several vegetable gardens, which he maintained until his 96th year of age. He enjoyed traveling to many National Parks and Forests, with his favorite trip being to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and his second favorite trip being to Mt. St. Helens in Washington state.
Charles is predeceased by his first wife, Lois Swett, second wife, Lucy Swett, and his son, Charles Swett.
He is survived by five daughters, Susan King of West Kennebunk, Robin Nichols, Brenda Swett and Sarah Hutchins, all of Kennebunk, and Pamela Torno of Lebanon, 13 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held in Pine Grove Cemetery, West Kennebunk, in the spring.
Charles will be buried at his family plot in Pine Grove Cemetery, 161 Alfred Road, West Kennebunk, ME 04094.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Charles’s Book of Memories Page at www.bibberfuneral.com.
Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk, ME 04043.
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