Gerock Hurley Swanson

Retired radio executive Gerock H. Swanson died Wednesday February 14 1996. He was 51. Until his retirement in 1992, Swanson was the chief executive officer and principal owner of Swanson Broadcasting Co., which once owned and operated radio station KRMG-AM 740 in Tulsa, and stations in Oklahoma City; Albuquerque, N.M.; Wichita, Kan.; San Antonio and New Orleans. A native of Omaha, Neb., Swanson received a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Santa Clara (Calif.) University in 1967. He joined the family business as an account executive for a station in San Antonio. He transferred to Tulsa in 1969 as secretary-treasurer of the company and was named its president in 1973. In 1985 he was the chairman of the finance committee of the Tulsa County Republican Party. Swanson served on the national board of The Salvation Army and headed two capital campaign drives for the Tulsa Area Salvation Army. He also served on the boards of Tulsa Area United Way, Tulsa Council on Alcoholism, Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce, Tulsa Philharmonic and Gilcrease Museum. Swanson is survived by his wife, Frances; son, Gerock H. Swanson Jr. of California; three daughters, Elizabeth Bannan of Tulsa, Shannon Ann of Paris, and Peugnet Swanson el-Assi of Santa Clara, Calif.; a sister, Carol Swanson Price of Kansas City, Mo.; and a brother, W. Clarke Swanson of Napa Valley, Calif.