EARLVILLE – Gary L. Swan, 70, of South Hamilton Rd., passed away unexpectedly on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009 at St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Utica.  
He was born on Dec. 4, 1938 in Johnson City, a son of Kenneth and Eleanor Swan, life residents of Glen Aubrey. Mr. Swan graduated from Whitney Point Central School in 1957 and Lowell School of Business in Binghamton in 1959. On Nov. 1, 1958 in Honesdale, Pa., he was united in marriage to the former Audrey J. Romyn.
He was employed by several area firms providing accounting responsibilities. In 1963 he attended Broome Technical Community College in Binghamton and successfully passed his New York State Property and Casualty Insurance Agents/Brokers exam in 1963 which he held for 45 years and retired in 2006. He began his insurance career and partial ownership of the Strong Agency, Inc. in Whitney Point and Marathon from 1962 to 1971. Early in his insurance career he attended the Aetna Casualty and Surety Insurance Company home office sales course in Hartford, CT. He joined Chenango Mutual Insurance Co. of Norwich in 1972 as marketing representive, later promoted to Director of Agencies/Underwriting and Assistant Treasurer in 1977, and held other various management positions. In March 1988 he was elected President and Chief Executive Officer of Chenango Mutual Insurance Co. He also served on the Chenango Board of Directors from 1974 to 1995. He was elected in 1976 as Executive Vice President of Chenango Brokers, Inc., a Specialty Insurance Marketing Agency, and in 1982 was elected President and Chief Executive Officer of Chenango Brokers, Inc. until 1995. He also served on that Board of Directors from 1974 to 1995.
He was a member of the New York Cooperative Insurance Association from 1974 to 1985, where he served on various committees, Board of Directors from 1974 to 1985, its Executive Committee and was President of the New York Cooperative Insurance Association from 1981 to 1982 and during the 100 th Centennial Year Celebration.  Mr. Swan also served on the Guilderland Mutual Reinsurance Co. Board of Directors from 1985 to 1993. He also served on the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, Indianapolis, IN Personal Committee as a charter member. He was awarded the NAMIC Merit Award in 1982 for his exemplary efforts in attainting professionalism in the Insurance Industry. His insurance career continued as Vice President of Marketing for Association Mutual Insurance Co. of Woodridge from 1995 to 2000 and then continued to consult for another three years until 2003. He continued as a Marketing Consultant for Eastern Mutual Insurance Co. of Greenville from 2003 to 2006. During his insurance career he was a member of the Whitney Point Rotary Club; Sherburne Lions Club and the White Otter Fish and Game Club of Forestport.  He enjoyed the many years at his camp at White Lake, whether it was at camp with family and friends, on the water, deer hunting or golfing.
He is survived by his wife Audrey; his mother Eleanor Swan of Glen Aubrey; three daughters and sons in law, Pamela Sue and William Brown of Earlville; Nancy Lynn and Malcolm Marriott of Earlville; Lisa Ann and Jeffrey Cooley of Middletown; a son Gary L. Swan II of Sherburne; two granddaughters, Aurora Leigh Roe and Olivia Romayne Thompson and a grandson Nicholas Keegan Roe; three brothers and sisters in law Kenneth, Jr. and Judy Swan of Whitney Point; William and Barbara Swan of Whitney Point; Dale and Rochelle Swan of San Diego, CA; a sister Loretta Thayer of Syracuse and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his father Kenneth C. Swan, Sr. and a brother in law Dr. Robert Thayer.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Burgess & Tedesco Funeral Home 10 S. Main St., Sherburne. Interment will be held at the convenience of the family. Friends are invited and may call Wednesday from noon until 2 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home.
Contributions in Mr. Swan’s memory may be made to the American Heart Association,  120 Lomond Court, Utica, NY 13502.
To send a condolence or sign the Book of Memories online go to www.burgessandtedescofuneralhomes.com.