Phyllis Jean Swint, having lived in this world for 92 years, died on May 17, 2016. The daughter of Agnes and Charles Bennett, Phyllis was borne on Dec. 18, 1923 in Gloucester, MA. She graduated from Gloucester High School in 1941, and from Chandler Secretarial School. Phyllis worked in Gloucester and in the Boston area until she married James H. Swint in 1949. She then became an avid Coast Guard wife, moving to Norfolk, VA, New London, CT, Rockland, ME, Juneau , AK, Astoria, OR, Cleveland, OH, Newport, RI, Corpus Christi, TX, Washington, D.C. ,and back to Hampton Roads.
Phyllis was a devout Catholic and wherever she lived she became an active member of the church. She served as a Lector, Eucharistic Minister, was Coordinator of the Teen Group, and also assisted in the Funeral Ministry. After arriving in Portsmouth, she became a volunteer for many years, at Oasis, until her health interfered. At one time she was monitoring irregularities at the local nursing home.
Phyllis' interests were reading, the Boston Red Sox, and antiquing, which lead her to open "The Black Swan" antique shop. For 9 years she and her husband Jim ran the business. For the past few years her main interest has been the Nickels Club. This is a group of 6 friends who came to her home every Thursday night and played a card game called Nickels. There was always laughing and telling of jokes, and eating. The ladies called it their Therapy Session.
Phyllis found that living into her 90s was nothing to brag about since her mobility was limited, and because of Waldenstrom's Disease, which is a rare form of blood cancer that most victims die with, rather than from.
Preceded by her husband Jim, Phyllis is survived by son William Swint (Anita), Raleigh, NC, daughters Jennifer Swint, S. Burlington, VT, and Ashley Morgan of Gosport, England, and 3 grandchildren Toni Swint, Mariah Pittman-Swint, and Rhys Morgan.
A Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 21, at the Church of the Resurrection, Portsmouth, VA, followed by a reception in Carolluzza Hall.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Oasis Social Ministry, 800 Williamsburg Ave., Portsmouth, VA 23704 or to International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation, 6144 Clark Center Ave., Sarasota, FL 34238. Condolences may be registered at BWFosterFuneralHome.com.