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Paul Arthur Swenson, a retired research scientist in the Biology Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, died at his home on Tuesday March 4 at the age of 88. He was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on February 5, 1920 to Arthur L. Swenson and the former Lena M. Kruger.

He served in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and in the Minnesota National Guard. During WWII, his unit was inducted into federal service after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He served as a Battalion Surgeon's Assistant with the 70th Infantry Division of the 7th Army in Alsace, France. In March of 1945, during the Battle of the Bulge, he was severely wounded during combat, as he attempted to find an alternate route to evacuate casualties, near what is now Forbach, Germany. He was the recipient of the Bronze Star, the Combat Medical Badge and the Purple Heart.

Following his discharge from the Army, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hamline University, and in 1952 received a PhD in Biology from Stanford University.

For 16 years he was on the teaching staff of the Zoology Department at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. During that time he worked one year at the Biology Department of Brookhaven National Laboratory, and for two years at the Biology Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratiory. In 1966 he began a second career, joining the Biophysics Group of the Biology Division at ORNL. He retired in 1985.

Swenson's research dealt mainly with the effects of ultraviolet light (UV) on the shutoff of respiration and death of the bacterium, Escherichia coli. He authored, or co-authored, 48 scientific papers. He was a Fellow of the American Association for Advancement of Science and a member of the following professional societies: American Association for Advancement of Science, American Society of Photobiology, Biophysical Society, and the Radiation Research Society.

His interests included woodworking, photography, postcard collecting and writing. Following his retirement, he wrote an extensive family and personal history. He was a member of the Carbide Camera Club, and served on the boards of Planned Parenthood and the Oak Ridge Community Art Center.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, the former Marjorie L. Clark. Other survivors include daughter Marie Hornsby, of Nashville, TN; daughter Carol Reeve and her husband, Walter of Knoxville, TN, and grandchildren David and Rebecca Hornsby, Amy, Ellen, Daniel and Grace Reeve.

The family would like to thank the staff of Clinch River Home Health and Covenant Hospice for their kind and invaluable assistance.

A memorial service will be held at the Oak Ridge Unitarian-Universalist Church on Saturday, March 8 at 2 pm, with a reception following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Unitarian Church or Oak Ridge Methodist Hospital Volunteers.