STEVE SWADLING had the delight of welcoming his fifth grandchild into the world last Tuesday.
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The arrival of little Beau Steven brought a warm blanket of happiness to him and the family who ranked number one in his life.
Four days later they lost the man at the centre of their lives. Mr Swadling, passed away in Goulburn Base Hospital on Saturday morning, aged 58. His family was by his side.
The Radio Goulburn general manager was transferred there from Canberra Hospital earlier in the week and shared the special moment with daughter, Tamara.
The popular 2GN general manager, former Goulburn City Deputy Mayor and community advocate had a brain bleed and stroke last August. Last month he was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
His wife, Mireen said yesterday she was “the luckiest girl alive” to have such a man in her life for 40 years. Her three children – Ben, Tamara and Alicia felt the same.
“He died way too young but he lived every day to the fullest. He’s now at peace,” she said.
Mrs Swadling said one’s children were the greatest judges of parents and significantly, all included him deeply in their lives.
On Saturday, Capital Radio managing director Kevin Blyton praised Mr Swadling as a “good man.”
“He certainly didn’t deserve to go so young and in the way he did,” he said.
“His family are naturally very distressed and our thoughts should be with them now.”
Good friend Roger Lucas, who also served with Mr Swadling on Goulburn City Council and more recently, the Soldiers’ Club board, said his commitment was always evident.
“I learnt a lot from him. He was a wonderful person and very capable,” he said.
“He was the ultimate family man and the biggest part of this tragedy is that they will be so devastated. He loved them to death.”
He said staff and friends who gathered at the Soldiers Club on Saturday night stood as usual at 6pm to hear the recorded Ode of Remembrance, recited by Mr Swadling.
He had been Club president for the past seven years. Yesterday its flags flew at half mast.
Manager Toni Mitchell said despite his illhealth, Mr Swadling rarely missed a board meeting and maintained a strong interest in the club, “Without a doubt, he was instrumental in the club’s success. This is very sad for the staff and members,” she said.
“He was certainly the backbone of the board. Steve had a great relationship with management and staff; he was always there for them and had their interests at heart.”
The club’s strategic plan was very much based on Mr Swadling’s vision, Mrs Mitchell said.
Born in Darlinghurst, the young Steve Swadling moved to Goulburn with his parents at age two. He was educated at Goulburn High School and later joined Retravision as a salesman.
In the late 1980s he joined 2GN, firstly in sales and soon after as general manager. There he stayed for 23 years.
Breakfast presenter Craig Prichard worked with him for 20 years.
He said news of his passing hadn’t quite sunk in but staff were doing it tough.
“He loved Goulburn and that was one thing he always tried to get across to us. He wanted us to get behind the ‘We Love Goulburn campaign,” Mr Prichard said.
He praised him for the way he nurtured young talent; many news and music presenters had gone on to greater heights as a result.
Mr Swadling was highly involved in the station’s 60th, 70th and 80th birthday celebrations – the latter just this year.
In 2003 he took out the Commercial Radio award for best regional station manager.
The station is formulating a way to honour him.
Mr Swadling served two terms on Goulburn City Council from 1995 to 2004, was Deputy Mayor from 2000 to 2004, was Goulburn Chamber of Commerce president from 1994-95, spent many years on the Salvation Army’s Red Shield appeal committee, was foundation member of Goulburn’s Business Enterprise Centre and its first chairman and a Justice of the Peace.
His funeral service will be held at Sts Peter and Paul’s Cathedral at 11.30pm this Thursday.
![MISSED: Radio Goulburn general manager Steve Swadling will be remembered as a family and community minded man. MISSED: Radio Goulburn general manager Steve Swadling will be remembered as a family and community minded man.](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-GaYa9c7QuNtLLX2kQCbPqP/09ccc021-e5bc-4e58-9f3e-3d5f4248321d.JPG/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Inspiring talent
ONE of Steve Swadling’s most enduring legacies to the radio industry, and to the media as a whole, was his ability to identify and nurture talent. Numerous prominent and successful media professionals got their start or one of their earliest gigs in the industry during Mr Swadling’s tenure, including:
Anthony Maroon – Triple M radio presenter and host (Sydney)
Jane Turner – breakfast announcer 7HO-FM (Hobart)
Scotty Masters – breakfast announcer 104.7FM (Canberra)
Larry Appley – presenter, 2CA (Canberra)
Tim Gilbert – sports reporter and commentator Channel 9 (Sydney)
Lynne Scrivens – news producer, channel 7(Sydney)
Laura Tchilinguirian – Senior journalist/producer/presenter at ABC NewsRadio (Melbourne)
Melissa Jones – Journalist/newsreader 2UE (Sydney).
Industry website Radio Info has remembered Steve in this piece.