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He was born on January 3, 1942, in Worland, Wyoming, to Glen and Betty (Barngrover) Swing. He grew up on the family farm with his sister Lois (Halsey), helping raise Hereford cattle and crops including sugar beets, barley, alfalfa and corn. His love of mechanics and fabricating began on the farm as well as during his time helping his uncle Harry in the oil field.
In school Larry was active FFA , 4H and he enjoyed working on cars. After graduating from high school, he joined the Navy at the age of 18. He was stationed in San Diego on the USS Wiltsey as a Machinist’s Mate in the engine room. He was honorably discharged as a Petty Officer 3rd class in 1964. While in San Diego, he met the love of his life, Judy Cook, from Bonners Ferry. They were married on September 12, 1965, in a double wedding with Judy’s twin sister, June, and David Burnett.
They lived in Worland for a year and moved to Casper when Larry and two partners bought a Big A Auto Parts Store. He sold his part of the business in 1971 and they moved to Bonner’s Ferry.
He and brother-in-law, Larry Pinkerton, bought out Glauner Marine & Sporting Goods and Larry’s Sports Center was born. They sold motorcycles and snowmobiles, guns, fishing tackle and a variety of other sporting goods. He later bought “Pink” out, and operated the store until 1982. The original store was in what is now the Herald office and the later location is now Mugsy’s.
Over the years following the sale of the store, Larry drove a variety of trucks, including a ’69 Peterbilt log truck for Beloit Mendenhall and cement mixer, lowboy and dump trucks for BF Redi-Mix. He bought his own logging truck and operated it for a year and a half. Realizing he didn’t enjoy being an owner/operator that much, he sold the truck and focused his energy on the repair/fabrication/restoration shop at his home.
In his shop, he repaired and restored numerous cars, trucks and old tractors for hire or sale.
After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s at age 51, he began restoring many antique toys. This led Larry to be featured on the cover of Toy Trucker Magazine with a toy logging truck that he had restored and customized. This was not the first time he was in a magazine, during his high school days Larry, his dad, his chemistry teacher and several classmates were featured in The Saturday Evening Post with their rocketry experiments.
Larry is survived by his wife of 51 years, Judy, son Ken and wife Tammy Swing, their kids Tyler and Kaylie, daughter Shelly Swing-Polzin and husband Aaron Polzin and their kids Peyton and Kailyn, sister Lois (Swing) Halsey and Mike LeMaster.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Glen and Betty Swing, sister Karen Swing, grandparents B.K. and Martha Swing and Stella and Clair Barngrover.