William Alvin Swain

William “Bill” A. Swain, passed away on December 5, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. He was 77 years old.

Bill’s first and greatest love was his wife, Sue, who he was married to for 56 years, and his daughters, April and Julie, and son-in-law, Aaron. Bill was fiercely committed to his family and led with strength, wisdom, selflessness, and a lot of humor.

His second love was bass fishing, and he was an avid and skilled fisherman. His “fishing buddies”, would likely agree he knew nearly everything about their underwater opponents and rarely met a fish he couldn’t outwit. He could frequently be found on Lake Seminole, in his Ranger boat with a tackle box full lures and worms, a 6 pack of cold Cokes and a couple of moon pies.

Bill had a reverence for the outdoors that extended beyond the lake and fish. He was an enthusiastic gardener who grew daylilies and camellias and could recall the name of each variety. He also loved wildlife and visiting the mountains in the fall.

He was a Florida State Seminoles fan and told of being a New York Yankees fan since listening to games on the radio as a kid. He also had an affinity for American History and Ford Mustangs. He was also known for his humor. Those around him often remarked about his exceptional storytelling skills, quick wit and making them laugh. Bill’s faith and trust was in Jesus Christ, he attended Fellowship Baptist Church and loved his church family. He worked for Sprint for 40 years.

He was born in Ludowici, GA then moved to Valdosta where he met and married Sue. Together they eventually settled in Tallahassee, where they spent 54 years together.

He is survived by his wife, Sue Swain; daughters April Swain of New York, NY and Julie Browning of Jacksonville, FL; and son-in-law Aaron Browning. He is preceded in death by his parents, Hollis and Nellie Swain; his brother, Alton Swain; his sister, Evelyn Swain; and his sister-in-law, Geneva Swain.

Bill’s life was full of love, adventure, flowers, fish tales, laughter and the people who were lucky enough to share them with him. He will be deeply missed, fondly remembered, and often quoted.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at Fellowship Baptist Church in Tallahassee.
The family will receive one hour before the service, beginning at 10:00 AM. A graveside funeral service will be held at 4:00 PM on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at Sunset Hill Cemetery, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia