John Joseph Swift Jr., 56, of Scranton, died Saturday evening at home, after a brief illness. His wife of 28 years is the former Sharon Cusick.  

Born in Scranton, son of John Joseph Swift Sr., and Marion Leader Swift, he was a graduate of Scranton Central High School, where he excelled in both basketball and football. He won all-state honors in basketball and was awarded an athletic scholarship to Mansfield University, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in secondary education. He was a member of St. Paul's Church.

A well-known and respected businessman, he began Swift and Barnes Office Furniture and Design Company in 1976. In the company's first three years, he utilized the profits of the Swift Fence Company, which he began two years before, in order to help the fledgling business stand on its own feet.  

By 1980, the business had quadrupled in size. In 1988, the Small Business Council of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce honored him as its small business person of the year. He was the founder, owner and president of both Swift and Swift Contract Furniture and Office Design and Swift Fence Company.  

He spent many years active in civic and philanthropic endeavors. He directed the annual fund-raising drive for Marywood University. He was a co-chairman for a fund drive for Allied Services and was a principal underwriter for the Children's Miracle Network Telethon at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.  

He was a member of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, the Scranton Jaycees, the Scranton Rotary Club, the Kiwanis Club, the Purple Club of the University of Scranton, Pocono Mountains Vacation Bureau, the Country Club of Scranton, the Scranton Club, and the Pennsylvania Society of New York. He also served on the executive committee of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and was on the boards of numerous other organizations.

He was active in the Green Ridge Little League, Green Ridge Biddy Basketball, and the Dunmore-Green Soccer League.

Also surviving are two sons, Joseph Eugene, Hoboken, N.J., and Ryan Gerard, at home; a daughter, Maureen Mary, at home; a brother, Gerald, Clarks Summit; several nieces and nephews.  

The funeral will be Friday with Mass at St. Paul's Church at 10:30 a.m. Interment, Cathedral Cemetery.  Friends may call at the Eugene A. Cusick Funeral Home, 217 Jefferson Ave., Wednesday, 7 to 9 p.m., and Thursday, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to Marywood University, Scranton Preparatory School or Mercy Hospice, Jefferson Avenue, 18510.