Phyllis Louise Swarts

Phyllis Louise Swarts passed away in Pleasant Hill, California, on November 14, 2024, at the age of 95. Phyllis was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 25, 1929, to Lester and Verna (Koepsell) Barrett. She spent her early school years in Chicago, moving to Elgin, Minnesota, during high school. She married Harold Swarts in 1951 and raised her family in Rochester, Minnesota.
When Phyllis was young, she loved visiting her Grandparents, Ernst and Lizzie Koepsell, on their farm in Elgin, Minnesota. She eventually moved from Chicago to live with her grandparents and finished high school in Elgin. She had many happy memories of living on the farm and having fun with the many lifelong friends she made at school. She was a loving and caring mother to her 3 children, Johnny, Debbie, and Ricky, and was able to raise them, despite having a devastating stroke in 1953. Phyllis and her children eventually moved to California in the 1970’s to live with her mother, to whom she was devoted. She encouraged her children to go to college and was proud that they all graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. Phyllis was very industrious and found employment at Alameda Naval Air Station in California, where she received awards for outstanding performance. When she retired, she spent time with her children and grandchildren, always available to babysit whenever needed. In her spare time, she enjoyed playing bingo and any kind of card game. She loved to socialize and laugh with others and had many friends. She also enjoyed traveling and went to England for an extended stay with her daughter and family and from there traveled to Paris, Scotland, and Ireland. In earlier years she visited her sons and families in Germany, who were stationed there in the Army.
Phyllis’ loving children were with her in the last month of her life, traveling from out of state to be by her side. She is survived by her son John and wife Jane, grandchildren Christian, Sarah and Laura, great-grandchildren Booker, Everett, Teddy, Grace , and Ruby, of Kentucky, daughter Debbie and husband Chris, grandchildren Allison, Jeff, and Brent, great-grandchildren Hudson and Griffin, of California, and son Rick and wife Pam, grandchildren Jim, Tom, and Matt, great-grandchildren Charlotte and Everly, of Texas and California. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Roland Barrett.
Phyllis was loved by many, and our family appreciates all the well wishes from friends and family. A funeral will be held on June 21, 2025, at 11:00am at Trinity Lutheran Church in Elgin, Minnesota. Her children and their families will travel to Minnesota for the funeral and hope to see relatives and friends from the area. Phyllis’ favorite color was pink, so anyone attending the funeral is invited to wear pink if you wish.