Longtime football coach and Newark Memorial icon Rich Swift has passed away, according to sources close to Swift.
Friends of Swift began spreading word of Swift’s death Wednesday afternoon.
Stacy Kelly, an athletic booster and close friend who has kept the community updated, posted on her Facebook page at around 4 p.m. that Swift had succumbed to an inoperable brain tumor while sleeping.
Kelly wrote:
“I have been dreading when I would have to put this update on FB. It breaks my heart to have to tell everyone that Coach Swift has passed away. I was with him this afternoon and he was sleeping like a baby. Very comfortable and in no pain at all. The icon of Newark Memorial High School will never be forgotten and he will live in all of our hearts forever.”
Swift was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor on Feb. 5. He was released from the hospital and entered hospice care on Saturday.
He was 60 years old.
Swift was a longtime math teacher, football coach and athletic director who began his career at Newark Memorial in 1978. Last season, his 35th as coach, Swift led the Newark Memorial Cougars to the league title match and the NCS Division II playoffs.
Patch will update this story as information comes in.
Share your memories of Coach Swift in the comments section below.
Heather Hayes (Alluis) Class of 1995
Shelby ~ Class of '93
Still, a Soul has departed our Community and thus I've lit a Candle for him.
Chris Jordan