One of the most active members of the Taylor community during the past half-century, Robert Szwed, passed away on Friday, March 20. Mr. Szwed was 90. There will be a memorial service at Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church on Saturday, March 28, at 11 a.m. 

Mr. Szwed served over four decades on the Taylor Board of Appeals and Taylor Planning Commission, stepping down as the planning chairman just last year. He was a friend and confidante to numerous staff members in the City of Taylor, including several mayors.

Serving – even for lengthy periods of time – was easy if you love your community, according to Mr. Szwed. 

“(Serving is) easy to do when you love the community that you serve in,” he said last year after receiving a proclamation from the city. “There have been hard times and there have been good times. It all goes together. We, the citizens of this City, deserve to be a part of it. That’s being here and being a good neighbor … the years that I’ve had here have been a delight.”

His dedication wasn’t lost on Mayor Tim Woolley.

"Bob was a truly great resident of our community for a very long time,” Mayor Woolley said. “I really enjoyed him — he'd sent out 'good morning' and 'good night' messages literally every day. I don't know how big a group received them, but I for one appreciated getting those and considered him a true friend. He was old school and I loved our personal conversations. He dedicated a lot of his life to our community and will be a man who is truly missed."

Long-time Planning Director Lora Fell summed up how most felt about Mr. Szwed and his contributions to Taylor.

“Bob was a dear and wonderful friend to me and also to all he met,” she said. “I was very fortunate to work with him all these years. His dedication was incredible.  In all his years serving on the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Planning Commission, he only missed one meeting.  He knew how to chair a meeting and put everyone at ease.  His smile and greeting would light up anyone's day. We all dearly loved him and will miss him.” 

Mr. Szwed dedicated his time to serving on special commissions. He has served on the Planning Commission for 13 years. He also served on the Zoning Board of Appeals for 32 years. 

He was the chairman of the zoning board from 2002-2024 and the planning group from 2015-2024. He also served on the Eureka Way Committee, Van Born Corridor Improvement Committee and the Downtown Development Authority. He was retired from Ford Motor Company. He attended technical education classes at Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford Community College, Cass Tech and River Rouge high schools. He was also an Ordained Elder at First Presbyterian Church in Dearborn and a 16-year member of the Washtenaw Sportsman Club. 

He and his wife had two children, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren. 

The late Robert Szwed is pictured with members of the Planning Commission in 2025.