Robert Warren Swasey, age 68, passed away on Thursday, April 14 at Saint Margaret Mercy Hospital in Hammond, Indiana. He was born and raised in Marblehead, MA and attended Marblehead public schools.

Mr. Swasey graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburg, PA, with a BA in Theater Arts and Tulane University with an MA in Scene and Costume Design. He taught Theater Arts at Johnson State College in Vermont, and Gallaudet University for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. He lived and worked for many years in the New York City theater as a dresser for Broadway actors. While in New York, he also created the cast plaster mannequins for the Lowell, MA Textile Heritage Museum, researching and creating the period costumes before making the castings. He solicited friends as models for the molds. For many years, he was unable to be with family for Christmas as he was fitting costumes for elephants tigers and clowns in Sarasota, FL for Ringling Brothers Circus. He took care to make friends with Gunther, the trainer of a pair of rare white leopards, before fitting their costumes.

Robert later settled down in Indiana, where he created uniforms for an old time River Paddle Boat casino along the Michigan River.

Surviving him are his sister Jane (Swasey) McKenna of Marblehead, two nephews, Michael O. McKenna and his wife Sarah of Beverly and Neal J. McKenna and his wife Annika of Hamilton, his grandnephew, Parker, and grandnieces, Caroline and Adele. He is also survived by three first cousins, Richard Sleeper of Troy, NY, David Sleeper of Bridgewater Corners, VT, Barbara (Sleeper) Gorrill of Port Clyde, ME, and their families.

His burial service in Marblehead will be private. In his memory please support live performance arts.