In Memoriam: William Swatos

William (Bill) Swatos was the editor of the U.S. journal Sociological Analysis (now Sociology of Religion) and the long-time Executive Officer of the Association for the Sociology of Religion (ASR).  He was active in the SISR-ISSR and was the official liaison between the ASR and the ISA Research Committee 22 on the sociology of religion.

He died yesterday from complications of COVID-19. 

Here is his official obituary:

William H. Swatos, Jr. 74, of Galva, IL, died in GMC Medical Center, Sterling, IL on November 9, 2020 due to complications of COVID-19.

A native of West Milford, NJ, he graduated from Transylvania University in Lexington, KY, and the University of Kentucky. He graduated from the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Lexington and was ordained a priest while serving at the Church of the Transfiguration in Lawrenceburg, KY. He served at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Silvis, IL from 1980-1993. He was a resident of Galva, IL until recently moving to a care facility.

His academic career included teaching sociology at King College (Bristol, TN), Augustana College (Rock Island, IL), and Baylor University (Waco, TX). As a Fulbright Scholar in 1981, he travelled to Iceland to teach and study Icelandic religion. He was a noted author/editor of over 20 textbooks exploring topics in the sociology of religion. He served as Executive Officer of the Association for the Sociology of Religion from 1997-2012, and as Managing Editor of the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion at Baylor University.

He is survived by sons Eric (Elizabeth) Swatos of Prophetstown and Giles Swatos of Tampa, FL, and grandchildren Arthur, Lillian, Claire, and Stephen. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the Alzheimer’s Association, https://www.alz.org/