BOYD (Mondo) SMITH SWING JR. Born in Norfolk, Virginia 1946 … Died in Spokane, Washington 2024 Christmas Eve. Mondo was the son of Lillian McDearmid, her maiden name, the only endearing father we knew, Kenneth Wesley Gavitt, USN, and Boyd Smith Swing, who we met later in life, USN. I had the privilege of being Boyd’s sister. Tanya Rennich Eventually we found out we had a halfbrother Milton Swing, who is dear to us. He picked up the nickname Mondo at midlife and asked we call him that. Most knew him by Mondo. Mondo is survived by Myself, My sons and their families, Thomas and Jackie Rennich, William and Amy Rennich, a great nephew, Holden Rennich and great nieces, Savannah and Josselyn Meagley and Milton Swing, brother in Virginia. Also cousins Jimmy Cutchins,Virginia, Karen Jamieson, Virginia, Gary Harrell, Alabama, Marsha Harrell, Virginia and Robbie Harrell, Virginia. He loved our Mom, grandaddy Mac & Grandma Mac, Uncle Albert & Aunt Nita, Uncle Garfield & Aunt Ray, Our Dad, Ken Gavitt & StepMom Charlie who have passed. My brother was married 4 or 5 times. He really was not marriage material due to his adventurous travels and always seeking knowledge. He helped build homes, worked at a hospital on the psych ward, joined the Marines where that took him to VietNam. 1st Plt., Lima C., 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, MarDiv. Summer of 1967 until May 4th 1968. He attended Old Dominion College for many years. The GI Bill helped on that adventure. He had an old Dodge Van named “Vansky” that showed him the USA. He planted trees in Oregon. He eventually moved to Tampa, FL and settled in with a Nuclear Cleanup Crew. I am pretty sure he glows in the dark !!! He loved that job. He found out he had Diabetes 2 from the physicals needed for work. While in VietNam he was showered with Agent Orange daily and it caught up with him. Then his greatest Adventure was China. Mondo wanted to spend the rest of his life there. He became a Buddhist, had a Master and congregation of sorts that helped him live in China. It truly was where he should have been forever. BUT, he suffered a stroke and Master had him escorted back to the states to the Seattle Veterans Hospital where he knew he would never return to China. After much rehabilitation he was brought to Spokane and eventually lived with me for 7 years until I could not give him the care he needed. The Spokane Veterans Home took him in and tried their best to make him comfortable. Diabetes is devastating and Mondo lost a leg. They were trying so hard to keep the other leg. Dec 24th after lunch, he fell asleep and later became unresponsive and though they tried resuscitation, he just couldn’t be revived. Boyd (Mondo) Smith Swing Jr. was kind, generous, witty, helpful to anyone, SMART, a nomad, a teacher, a wonderful son, grandson, brother, uncle, cousin and friend. Reincarnation… Mondo believed wholeheartedly, I can only imagine the adventure he is on at this moment. Happy Trails my Brother.
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