In memory of David Swenson

David Swenson, the son of Ed and Judy Swenson, was born in Fullerton, California on March 22, 1965. He died on August 30, 2004 after having achieved the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa.

At the time, David was a dedicated instructor of Computer Science at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon. In 2002, David served as the chair of the Oregon Council of Computer Chairs. David attended the University of Southern California from 1983 through 1987, earning of Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. He then attended Rutgers from 1987 through 1990 where he earned a Master’s of Science degree in Computer Science.

After completing his master’s degree, David acquired a full-time tenured faculty position at New Mexico State University (Carlsbad campus) where he taught Computer Science from 1990 through 1999. In the fall of 1999, he took a full-time faculty position in the Computer Science department at Chemeketa Community College where he taught until his death in 2004.

David has been described by his colleagues as unfailingly friendly, supportive, polite, and self-effacing. His diverse interests included photography, supporting cultural understanding, protecting the environment, and collecting lighthouses. David was an avid outdoorsman and loved traveling the world, including a trip to China with his dad. He donated funds toward the creation of the Eco-Earth Ball at Riverfront Park in Salem; his name is listed there. He was very supportive of eclectic cultural events at Chemeketa and in the community, both as volunteer and audience member.