John P. Swift, 86

John Paul Swift, 86, formerly of Coe Hill Road, Center Harbor, died on May 16, 2026, in his sleep at his new home in Fort Myers, Florida.

Born in Osterville, Massachusetts, on Aug. 1, 1939, to Ernest and Amelia Swift, John grew up in Osterville and attended Barnstable High School. He served in Korea and Vietnam with the Army Corps of Engineers. He worked with his father and uncle in construction and then independently on Cape Cod.

John and his family moved to New Hampshire, in 1976, where he and his wife Teri managed Our Lady of La Salette retreat house. John also worked for Annalee Dolls building their warehouses before becoming a supervisor for Sugarloaf Mountain Builders and Meridian Construction.

John taught Sunday school with Teri and was a lector and eucharistic minister for over 30 years at Our Lady of Assumption in Osterville, and St. Charles Borromeo in Meredith. He coached Little League baseball and basketball and was the president of the Bill Lamper Youth Basketball League for several years.

John was predeceased by his wife, Theresa Kazukynas Swift. He is survived by his five children, John Swift and his wife Pamela of Meredith, Elizabeth Wichland and her husband Rob of Gilford, and Fort Myers, Florida, Margaret Judge and her husband William of Barrington, Jennifer Swift and her husband Craig Quimby of Rancho Cordova, California, and Andrew Swift of Greensboro, North Carolina. John is also survived by his grandchildren, Chloe, Ben, Max, Owen and Holden; and many nieces and nephews. He will be dearly missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Meredith Food Pantry, 147 Main St., Meredith. NH 03253.

A private burial will be held in the fall at The New Hampshire Veterans Cemetery.