Paul Franklin Swinford
May 28, 1932 ~ January 10, 2026
Born in:
Shelby County, Illinois
Resided in:
Hendersonville, North Carolina
Asheville Butterfly TrailPaul Franklin Swinford, 93, died on January 10, 2026, in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
Paul was born and raised in Windsor, Illinois. He later made his home in Plainfield, Illinois, where he spent most of his adult life raising his family and building a career dedicated to public service.
Paul loved his family. He was a father to Paula, Kelley, Dennis, Laura, and Kathy, and his greatest pride came from his children and their families. Paul left this world wanting to connect and be with his family.
Paul served his country in the United States Air Force, an experience that reflected his sense of duty and sparked a lifelong love of flight. He found joy and freedom in flying small airplanes, a passion that stayed with him long after he was unable to be the pilot. For Paul, being in the air was both an adventure and a kind of peace.
His professional life was equally purposeful. Paul devoted his career to education, he retired as a Deputy Superintendent of Valley View School District in Illinois after working to strengthen school systems and communities. He was especially proud of his instrumental role in helping to establish the Illinois School District Asset Fund, and his leadership extended statewide and beyond. He served as President of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials (IASBO) and ASBO International, both in Illinois and internationally, earning the respect of colleagues for his vision to improve the equity across all schools in the district.
Graveside services will be private.
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family.
Paul was such an amazing leader in school finance and operations, but he was an even better human being. I enjoyed every interaction I ever had with him and fondly remember the legendary pin collection he curated. Thank you Swinford family for supporting his journey with Illinois ASBO and ASBO International. Countless students and communities as well as our entire profession have been impacted by Paul. God bless and prayers for you all.