Spartan Daily - Serving San Jose State University since 1934

I met Joe at several family function at his son's house over the years and we had a lot of terrific conversation. We're from the same neck of the woods in Texas and he is full of lore about a lot of important names from back home. He recounted being offered the job of press secretary to LBJ at one point but didn't agree with his politics so he turned it down. His son Dick and his wife Cindy are two of my dearest friends and I've been kept appraised of Joe's progress by them. His current condition saddens me but he is still full of life and I wish him well.

Honored to be the 1st to post to this awesome story link. Thank you SJSU for reporting and publishing the story of this great, GREAT man.
-Joe's daughter in law, Cindy Swan (SJ)

Joe was always proud of his students and his students loved him. There are few of us who could hope to have a legacy like that.

Great story. I'm sorry I didn't run across it until after Joe's death. I met Joe when he asked me to edit Sparta Life magazine in 1967. We worked closely on getting out the issue that spring. He was a great guy and was personally responsible for getting me into the master's program at Stanford.

It was with a quiet gratitude and sadness that I learned today (29 July) of Joe's passing several months ago. He was a friend who was always just quietly there. I was one of his first students at San Jose, we quickly became friends, we had a wonderful repore. He left me mostly up to my own devices, I guess he could see I could get on with the camera. The story brought back these images and memories. I last saw Joe in the late '80s when I was visiting the Bay Area from Scotland, where I have lived since the early '80s. He and Laura drove to SF to visit. It was an honour and a lovely recollection of our walking together at Fisherman's Wharf. May he know peace now that he is Home.

As a young child growing up in California our family would make the trek from the Salinas Valley up to San Jose to spend holidays with Joe, Laura, Dick & Debbie. Later in life, I would make it a point when flying into San Jose from Tennessee to visit with Joe at his home on Faraday Court.

Joe always loved a good cup of coffee, challenging game of chess and yes, good stories - even if they had been told before.

A man of strong Texas roots, Joe remained steadfast in his love of family, loyalty to friends and commitment to get the story right.

What I will miss the most of this man who my father (Bob Graves) considered to be his best life-long friend is his sense of humor, love of pictures as a medium to tell a story and enduring humility.

Joe's legacy lives on through his children, Dick and Debbie, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren and the countless students who's lives he touched in a profound way. Joe was, quite simply, a good person and a true friend.

God Speed Joe! You will be missed ---

I was a student of Joe
Swan in the early 1970s. He always went out of his way to point out the good things in a photograph as well as what needed improvement. He encouraged me to become a photojournalist and I did.
I served as Chief Photographer of the Spartan Daily in 1973 under photo Editor Phil Gould.
He was a great man and I think of him everytime I release a shutter.
David D. Newton