Earl Thomas Swink, Sr., son of Wallace M. and Lucy May Burton Swink, was born in Churchville (Augusta County), Virginia on September 7, 1907. He obtained a B.A. (1930) and M.S. (1939) in agricultural engineering at Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute (now Virginia Tech). He also held a cerficate in commercial engineering from the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company (1931). After working as district agricultural engineer for Virginia Electric and Power Company (Suffolk, Virginia) from 1932 to 1935, Swink returned to Virginia Tech as assistant professor of agricultural engineering; he was later named associate professor and, in 1954 became professor and head of the Agricultural Engineering Department. From 1967 until his retirement in 1970, Swink worked as the leader of special programs for Virginia Tech's Extension Division. Swink also held memberships and offices in a number of organizations. Among these were the Agricultural Board, National Academy of Sciences; American Society of Agricultural Engineers; American Society for Engineering Education; Virginia Academy of Science; and Virginia Farm and Home Electrification Council (co-founder). Swink married Louise Presson, and the couple had two children. Earl T. Swink died in Montgomery County, Virginia, on September 10, 1996, and was buried in Union Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Churchville.