John Howard Swisher, 100, of Coupeville, died Jan. 5, 2007, in Coupeville. He was born in Irvington, Wis., on March 8, 1906, to Bert and Emma (Wohlenberg) Swisher, the second oldest of four children. At a very young age his family moved to Anacortes, and he attended school in La Conner. Upon finishing the eighth grade he quit school to go to work.

John worked in logging camps, and on various cannery and fishing boats. For most of his career, however, he operated tugboats. He was tops in his field, and retired as a tugboat captain with Foss Maritime. An advocate of ecology and conservation John was instrumental in saving Padilla Bay from being industrialized in the ‘60s. He was a member of the Moose and Elks lodges in Mount Vernon, and a life-member of the Masonic Lodge in La Conner. He enjoyed dancing and attended senior dances at The Hillcrest in Mount Vernon every Thursday. He was also an avid bicyclist and at the age of 67 rode his bicycle from Bellingham to San Diego to visit his brother. It took him 12 days to complete the journey.

On March 15, 1995, he married Betty Surig in Bellingham and has lived in Coupeville the past 12 years. He is survived by his wife; his daughter Terri Swisher of Oak Harbor; stepson Harry Erickson (and his wife Candace) of Ephrata; their children Tanya (and her husband Marvin) Julson of Bothell, and Jocelyn Beavan of San Diego; and brother Raymond Swisher of March’s Point.

He was preceded in death by both parents; sisters Annabell Olson and Ethel Stevenson.

Arrangements are entrusted to Burley Funeral Chapel in Oak Harbor.