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Terry "Wayne" Swift, affectionately known as “Birdseed”, of Crisfield, passed away Thursday, May 1, 2025 at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional.
Born in Lewes, DE on August 12, 1949, he was a son of the late William Russell Swift and Pauline M. Insley Swift.
He started working at Rubberset Corp. in Crisfield at the age of 18 and retired as a machinist after more than 30 years.
Very active in his community, he was a devoted life member of the Crisfield Volunteer Fire Department serving for more than 49 years and was a former Captain and Assistant Chief. He was also a life member of the Crisfield Elks Lodge #1044. He attended the Crisfield Church of God and the former Faith Fellowship Assembly of God.
He was so proud of his daughter, Kristen, and how well she did in college and her love for teaching. He used to take her to the fire hall to write on the blackboard and pretend to teach every day after school. He enjoyed riding 4-wheelers and hunting with his grandson, and hunting with and spending time with his brother. He loved riding his motorcycle, tinkering with his grass cutters, washing cars, watching Westerns, and hanging out with his friends at Gordon’s and Captain’s Carry Out. He liked baseball and in his younger years played on the Rubberset Softball Team and was a youth soccer coach. He was also a diehard NASCAR fan and his favorite driver was the late Dale Earnhardt. Lastly, he was a car/truck enthusiast and was well-known for his CB Handle “Blue Bird”; during snow storms and floods, he and several others with large trucks took McCready Hospital employees to and from work. Wayne was a hard worker and would do anything to help anyone.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Valerie Spence Swift; his daughter, Kristen Katrina Moody (Kyle); his grandson, Holden Spence Moody; his brother, Jerry Lee Swift (Hilda); his sister, Phyllis Richardson (Eric); his sister-in-law, Kathy Somers; his nieces and nephews, Heather Duncan (Darrick), Russell Swift, Holly Laird and son River, Paige Riggin (Jake) and children John and Sophie, Dina Magnone (Travis) and daughter Haisley, Chelsey Curtis (Robert) and children Asher and Aubrey, Jared Duncan, Jacqueline Swift and daughter Alice, Ethan Swift, and Kyle Taylor and son Austin; his uncle, Sammy Insley (Shirley); special friends, Louis Hickman, Donnie Howard and the late Barry “Snuffy” Ward; several cousins, other relatives, many friends; and his granddog “Maverick”.
Along with his parents he was preceded in death by his twin great-great nieces, Ava and Savannah Riggin.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 1 PM at Bradshaw & Sons Funeral Home where a viewing was one hour prior. Interment will follow in Asbury Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Crisfield Fire Department, P.O. Box 591, Crisfield, MD 21817; or Crisfield Elks Lodge #1044, 4410 Crisfield Highway, Crisfield, MD 21817. To send condolences, please visit www.bradshawandsonsfuneralhome.com
