Phyllis M. Swartz

SWARTZ Phyllis M. Phyllis M. Swartz, 99, slipped away to Heaven on Friday, April 20, 2007. She was born in Toledo on April 5, 1908, the daughter of Joseph and Katrina Wichowski. She was married in 1927 and was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Anton "Buddy" Swartz. Phyllis started work at Jeep in 1923 at the age of 14 and retired in 1970. In November of 2006, she was honored as the second oldest Jeep retiree at a special recognition day, sponsored by UAW Local 12 at the north Toledo Jeep plant. Phyllis was a gracious and loving person and touched the lives on many people. She will long be remembered for her vivid stories, her incredible baking and her green thumb. She loved playing cards and was the self proclaimed 2006 Skip-bo champion of Toledo. Phyllis was the last of nine children and is survived by many loving relatives including sisters-in-law, Rita Wichowski and Eleanor Wichowski; nieces and nephews, John Swartz Jr., Sandy Stites, Sharon Woodbury, Kathy Evener, Patricia Matejek, Nick Wichowski, Barb Szczurek, Shirley Jensen, Venita Bukowinski, Vivian Buchmeier, Frank Wichowski, Delores Palenzar, John Barron, Jr., Marjorie Day; great nieces and nephews, Kathy Heiner, Charlene Heading, Darlene Ford, Chuck Heading, Claudia Swartz, Sherry McCloud, John Swartz III, Carol Fadell, Margaret Grudzinski, David Grude, Susan Grude and Betty Jean Damazyn. The family also wants to recognize the following family, friends and caregivers that were very special to Phyllis: Joyce Grude, Bill Murback, Maragaret and Herb Foote, Beverly Williams, Glenn Durik, Ed Holewinski, Valerie Gooding, Cindy Contos, Julie Roach, Dawn Seiler and Tom Campbell. Services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday in the Ansberg-West Funeral Home, 3000 Sylvania Avenue where the family will receive friends from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday. Any tributes may be made in the form of contributions to the Toledo Humane Society or St. Judes Children's Hospital. I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. Then some at my side says: "There, she is gone!" "Gone where?" Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast And hull and spar as she was when she Left my side and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight To her destined port. Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!" There are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: "Here she comes!" And that is dying