JAMES B. SWAIN V ’54

The Rev. JAMES B. SWAIN V, a United Methodist Church minister who served in India and the United States, died Nov. 28, 2016. He was 84. The son of Joseph R. Swain of the class of 1925 and the son-in-law of Carl L. Stearns, professor emeritus of mathematics and astronomy at Wesleyan, he was a member of the John Wesley Club. He received his degree with honors and with distinction in creative writing, and later received a degree in divinity from Yale University and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago. An ordained minister of the United Methodist Church, he served in northern India for 13 years, where he taught graduate level English literature. He pastored churches in Connecticut and in northern Illinois. Passionate about community mental health services, in retirement he chaired the advisory board of River Valley Services in Middletown, Conn., for many years. He also enjoyed writing poetry, painting, singing and cooking. Among those who survive are his wife, Doris Stearns Swain, three children, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.