Robert M. Swan of Flourtown, PA, died suddenly on Sunday, June 24, 2007.

Born in Lafayette Hill in 1932 he was the seventh of nine sons to Thomas and Elizabeth Swan, owners of Swan Ice Company. Bob worked in the family business serving ice to homes in Chestnut Hill, Germantown and Mount Airy while attending Our Mother of Consolation School.

Horses were Bob's passion. He could take a horse that was unapproachable and in a short time be on his back riding calmly around a ring. In 2005 he won 2nd Place at Devon Horse show in the Commercial Carriage Division.

In 1953, Bob married Dorothy Marie Perry of Flourtown. Shortly after they married he was drafted. Bob served in the US Army 2nd Division at Fort Lewis, WA, becoming a Military Policeman. While in the Army Bob trained extensively in Ju-Jitsu (a martial art).

Upon his honorable discharge, Bob returned to Flourtown and became a Police Officer with Springfield Township Police Department. At that time the community was concerned about a serial strangler. The Chief of Springfield had Bob develop a self defense program for women and police officers. Bob taught nurses, girl scouts and police officers from all over the Philadelphia region and was featured in several newspaper articles, television appearances and was the cover story for November 1961 edition of the FBI,s monthly magazine. Bob eventually left the Springfield Police department, but continued serving the community for nearly 20 years as an unpaid member of its Civil Service Commission.

Bob and Dot had three sons; Theodore, Thomas and Trevor, and four grand-children Maxwell, Rachael, Justin, and Trevor.