Former state Senator Dan Swecker dies at 74

Former Republican 20th Legislative District State Sen. Dan Swecker has died. He was 74.

Former state lawmaker and current Lewis Economic Development Director Richard DeBolt posted the news to Facebook Wednesday night.

“Thank you Dan Swecker for your service to nation and state, and thank you for all you did to mentor me,” DeBolt wrote. “Rest in Christ love.”

Additional details were not immediately available.

Swecker represented the 20th Legislative District from his appointment in 1995 to 2013 when he was defeated by state Sen. John Braun.

Braun offered this statement about Swecker on Thursday:

“During his years as a legislator, Senator Swecker rose to leadership positions on multiple committees and also within the Senate Republican Caucus. He was consistently involved in agricultural and natural-resources policy, which has long been important to our district, and as time went on he became particularly well-known for his work on transportation policy,” Braun wrote.

“But there was more to Dan – he was a man of strong faith, and solid convictions, who not only represented the 20th District but had also distinguished himself in Vietnam, where he became a decorated U.S. Army helicopter pilot. I always respected Dan for his decades of service to our state and nation, and will remember him as a good, kind and gracious man.”

Swecker served as Republican Caucus vice chair from 2007 to 2008 and was assistant majority whip from 1997 to 1998.

Swecker attended the University of Washington. He went on to earn his associate’s degree from from Tacoma Community College before earning a bachelor’ degree in cooperative education from The Evergreen State College in 1973.

Swecker worked as a warrant officer in the U.S Army from 1966 to 1969. He then worked as owner and operator of Swecker Salmon Farm. He has also worked as secretary and treasurer of Washington Fish Growers Association.

This story was originally published September 2, 2021 at 1:09 PM with the headline "Former state Senator Dan Swecker dies at 74."