Phyllis J. (White) Swires
Phyllis Swires Obituary
Phyllis J. (White) Swires, 91, formerly of Altoona, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at the Lutheran Home in Hollidaysburg. She was born in Altoona, daughter of the late Findley and Emma White.
She was united in marriage to Eugene J. "Gene" Swires on Sept. 14, 1951, in Winchester, Va. Mr. Swires preceded her in death on April, 23, 2020.
She is survived by her children, Diane (Gary) Pirozzola of Doylestown, Cheryl (Tom) Wright of Altoona and Scott Swires; grandchildren, Kris (Kristen) Fedeli of Mars, Tyler Fedeli of Annapolis, Md., and BethAnn (Tad) Foxx and Michael Pirozzola of Doylestown. She was very proud to be a great-grandmother to her great-grandsons, Nolan and Henry Foxx; and her twin great-granddaughters, Gianna and Nova Fedeli.
She was preceded in death by her beloved son, Eugene Jr.; and a brother and sister-in- law, Findley White Jr. and Carolyn.
Phyllis was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Altoona and a 1950 graduate of Altoona High School. She was employed as a teacher's aide at Washington and Jefferson Elementary School until her retirement.
She lived for caring for her boys and saw them as a blessing. Phyllis was known for her love of tending to others. Phyllis tirelessly nurtured her two intellectually disabled sons, Gene Jr. and Scott, at home until the passing of Gene Jr. in 2014. She also cared for her mother in the final years of her life.
Phyllis' children and grandchildren were her pride and joy. She was always active in their lives. Her presence at Scott's Special Olympic events was a priority for her. Phyllis also enjoyed gardening. During the summer months, Gene and Phyllis would load up the van and take their boys, grandchildren, and neighborhood kids to their garden at the VA home in Hollidaysburg. The kids would help water the garden while Gene and Phyllis harvested the vegetables. Afterwards, everyone would be rewarded with a trip to The Meadows for the "Flavor of the Day." Phyllis would then spend the final weeks of summer canning and freezing the fruits of their labor. Christmas was the favorite time of year for Phyllis. She would start out the season by taking two days off work "sick" to fulfill her love of baking. Everyone at school knew what she was doing for she would return to work with cookie trays for all of her co-workers. She and her childhood/best friend, Netty Freed, would bake hundreds of cookies in those 48 hours. Many of these recipes would come from her extensive library of cookbooks that she would fall asleep reading late at night.
Christmas Eve was the highlight of Phyllis' year. She and her late husband would open their home to all family and friends. There was always an abundance of food and drinks. During the evening, they would arrange for their family friend, Raphe Voltz III, to arrive as a surprise visit from Santa Claus for Gene Jr., Scotty and all the grandchildren. In later years, Raphe's son, Raphe Voltz IV, would continue the tradition. Phyllis never forgot the little things and how to make everyone feel special.
Friends will be received from 9 until the 11 a.m. funeral service Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Myers-Somers Funeral Home Inc., 501 Sixth Ave., Altoona, with Pastor Drew McCaffery officiating. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery, Altoona.
Phyllis had a deep love for animals. This was evident in the numerous cats and dogs that she had throughout her lifetime, including an injured pigeon that she once nursed back to health. For those who desire, memorial contributions in remembrance of Phyllis J. Swires may be made to Central Pennsylvania Humane Society, 1837 E. Pleasant Valley Blvd., Altoona, PA 16602; or Mending Hearts Animal Rescue, 4771 E. Loop Road, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648.
"Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."- Proverbs 31:31
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Phyllis J. (White) Swires, please visit our floral store.
