Arnie Swarens dies at 76

Central Oregon Realtor and developer Arnie Swarens died last week at the age of 76.

Swarens was a major player since the 1950s in Central Oregon Real Estate, including establishing RE/MAX Town & Country Realty in Sisters seven years ago.

"We moved Arnie Swarens Town & Country to Sisters as partners, and turned it into a RE/MAX," said Swarens' partner in the move, Peter Storton.

Swarens was a founding board member of Bank of the Cascades and was a development partner in Bend's Riverhouse and the Rivers Edge golf course.

"He was very active in the tourist industry," Storton said.

Storton said that Swarens was "an ordinary man" who proved that "you don't have to be anyone special to succeed."

Swarens told The Bulletin in 2001 that he was drawn to Central Oregon for its hunting and fishing, and he had no plan for his life when he moved here in 1953, at the age of 21.

He went into real estate at the suggestion of a friend and quickly became the biggest player in the region's real estate field. His knowledge of Central Oregon history and of real estate was notable, according to Storton.

"He seemed to remember every deal he ever did," Storton said.