Michael “Mike” Henry Swanson, currently of Gurley, Alabama went to eternal rest on July 24, 2025. Mike, born July 16, 1968 grew up in southside Virginia. He had fond memories of his grandparents – driving the truck on the Swanson farm at 14 years old and the biplane ride his Grandfather Fryer took him on during one summer vacation. These adventures and time outdoors shaped who he was to become as a man. He was a Boy Scout for much of his youth, advancing to Eagle Scout at which time he received the “God and Country” award. He attended Laurel Park High School in Martinsville, Virginia where he played baseball and ran track. Even as a young boy, his goal was always to be an Army officer, which led him to attend Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington. He graduated in 1990 as a Second Lieutenant, commissioning in the Army, attending Field Artillery Officers Basic Course at Fort Sill Oklahoma as a Reserve officer.
He served as a police officer for five years with the Martinsville City Police before matriculating as a fulltime Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) soldier with the Virginia Army National Guard. Mike distinguished himself as a uniquely talented Army Officer serving just short of thirty years with the Virginia Army National Guard. Mike served his country by mobilizing twice – once in 1997 to Bosnia-Herzegovina as the Fire Support Officer to a Polish Infantry Battalion during Operation Joint Endeavor and to Iraq in 2008 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a Brigade Level logistician. He served as the Chief of Logistics for Virginia Army National Guard at Ft Pickett Virginia. Mike held multiple staff billets during his career and was awarded a Master of Strategic Studies from the US Army War College while stationed at Ft. Pickett. He retired at the rank of full Colonel in 2018.
Mike had many diverse interests but two of his favorites were history and hiking. His intense love of history, particularly the WWII era, led to much travel both in Europe and the U.S., collecting militaria as a hobby and writing articles for various magazines and publications as a subject matter expert. Mike loved to be outdoors. He became a Highpointer, hiking the highest peak in every state. He attained 42 of the 50 highpoints. After his retirement, he hiked 320 miles of the Appalachian Trail before a cracked tibia forced him to abandon the quest.
Left to mourn his absence are his devoted and loving wife, Susan, his sons Patrick (Hayley) and Kevin, along with a close circle of friends who he loved and respected – Paul, Mike (BR) and Mike (Smoke), to name a few. Mike deeply regretted not being able to be a grandfather to his new grandson, Hudson.
