Elizabeth Jane Swank Bavaria

1935 - 2019

Elizabeth Jane Swank Bavaria

- - Elizabeth Jane Swank Bavaria, age 84, died peacefully at her home April 9, 2019, surrounded by her family.

Jane, as she was known by nearly everyone, was born in Greenville, Mississippi to Audrey Tatum Swank and Clayton Joseph Swank, on February 6, 1935.

Jane was a graduate of Greenville High School, class of 1953. She then studied at Stephen's College in Columbia, Missouri, graduating in 1955, and was then accepted to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. While on Summer vacation back home in Greenville she met the love of her life, Ed Bavaria, who was in USAF flight training at Greenville Air Force Base.

Jane entered SMU but the love that grew between her and Ed could not be denied, and they married on June 9, 1956 at St. Josephs Catholic Church in Greenville. Then began their life's adventure.

Always a team, Jane and Ed let their mutual wanderlust lead them far and wide. With the Air Force they landed at the Little Rock Air Force Base, where Son Joseph was born. Daughters Celeste and Cindy were born while stationed at Westover Air Force Base in Springfield Massachusetts. In 1961 Ed resigned his Air Force commission and accepted a job with General Electric in the Jet Engine Division in Cincinnati Ohio. A long career with GE took the wandering team to Dallas, but not before a birthing stop in Greenville where daughter Jennifer was born in 1966. From there, with four kids in tow, Jane set up home in Bad Godesberg, Germany, Paris, France, back to Cincinnati, on to London, back again to Cincinnati, off to Orange County CA, and finally landing for good in Sarasota where Jane was so very happy.

Jane had the perfect gifts for such a life. She made life-long friendships all over the world; made every house a home; managed the business of family life with minimal language skills, held an almost ridiculously generous open-door policy, and could sit at table with the great variety of people she and Ed met along the way.

Jane gave her time to leading Girl Scout troops, introducing 'Monte Carlo Night' to the American Catholic Women's Club of Paris…an event that is still going strong, and most recently as an active volunteer on behalf of the Sarasota Opera. Jane and Ed took every opportunity to open their home as a venue to share their love for the Sarasota Opera.

Jane is survived by Ed, her husband of 64 years, son, Joseph Bavaria (Kim) of Philadelphia, daughter, Celeste Denton (Alan) of Wilmette, Illinois, daughter, Cindy Bernardin (Rob) of Evansville, Indiana, and daughter Jennifer Pearson (Jeff) of Evergreen, Colorado. She is survived by eleven grandchildren, Robbie Bernardin (Steph), Audrey Bernardin (Ed Paulsen), Melanie Bavaria (Josh Elkind), Christina Bernardin, Tatum Denton, Edward Bavaria, Elizabeth Denton, Eleanor Pearson, Joseph Bernardin, Jack Pearson, and Hailey An Denton; and two great grandsons, Theo Bernardin and Sam Paulsen.

Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated on Saturday, April 27th at 9:30 am.

St. Thomas More Catholic Church

2506 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota, Florida.

Gathering begins at 8:45.

Luncheon Reception to follow.

Memorial contributions may be made to:

The Sarasota Opera

61 N. Pineapple Ave.

Sarasota, FL 34236