Lennart G. Swartling, 81

REHOBOTH BEACH - Lennart G. Swartling of Rehoboth Beach died Thursday, June 21, 2007, at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes after a brief illness. He was 81.

Mr. Swartling was born in Vestaras, Sweden, and reared in Stockholm.

He served in the Swedish Army during World War II.

Mr. Swartling emigrated to the United States in 1948, arriving on a Friday, and had secured a job by Monday. He made his home in the Wilmington/Newark area.

He retired from the Mechanical Development Laboratory of the DuPont Corp. He was the recipient of 17 patents for his work at DuPont.

Mr. Swartling was an avid boater and loved the water.

He speed-tested motorcycles in Daytona Beach, Fla., for Harley Davidson and BMW in the 1950s.

Mr. Swartling could fix anything mechanical and never lacked for a project to work on.

Except for the basic shell, he built his entire retirement home in Rehoboth Beach, and he continually improved upon it until his death.

His wife, Florence Craven Swartling, predeceased him in 1996.

Mr. Swartling is survived by his sister, Marie Louise Hagstrom of Sweden; and numerous nieces and nephews in both Sweden and the United States.

At his request, services will be private.

Donations may be made in Mr. Swartling"s name to the American Cancer Society, P.O.Box 163, Salisbury, MD 21803-0163.

Arrangements are being handled by Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes.