Lois Dell Swinney

Lois Dell (Ladd) Swinney

Lois Dell Ladd Swinney, daughter of the late Pearl (Totsy) Deggs Ladd and Lonnie Lee Ladd of Clawson, Texas, died on December 7, 2025. She graduated from Central High School of Pollok and Stephen F. Austin State University. Many people would impact Lois' life, but her dad was always her hero.

Growing up, she was devoted to her parents and her three brothers, Lonnie, Loy, and Jim and later to her children and grandchildren.



While in high school, Lois was one of the people from Clawson Baptist to accompany Bro. R. O. Fincher to help establish what is now Redtown Baptist Church. She grew up in and loved the Clawson Baptist Church.

Lois enrolled at Stephen F. Austin State University where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English. While at SFA, Lois was active on campus, particularly in the Baptist Student Center. She was a substitute teacher for four of her professors during her undergraduate years. During her junior year at SFA, she was runner-up as "friendliest girl on campus," and she was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi, the national teacher's honor society.

Lois began her teaching career in Port Neches, Texas, and would ultimately teach in Port Arthur, Texas; Skiatook, Oklahoma; Deer Park, Texas; Stockbridge, Georgia; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Birmingham, Alabama; Tappahannock, Virginia, and Scottsdale, Arizona, before moving back to Houston and teaching in Aldine ISD until her retirement in June of 2012 ending a 55-year career in teaching. Lois loved her students, her "adopted kids," she'd call them. She was honored in every school district she taught by being elected either "Favorite Teacher" or "Best English Teacher" or both or "Teacher of the Year." She was named to the eighth, ninth and tenth editions (2003, 2004, 2005) of Who's Who Among America's Teachers. On July 8, 2009, Lois was honored by being named to Cambridge Who's Who, an exclusive membership organization that recognizes and empowers 300,000 people globally.

Lois was also a Sunday School teacher of young people and adults for over forty years.

From the beginning day of her teaching career to the end of her career, Lois kept her Bible open, lying in the center, front of her desk at school. Anyone who knows her will tell you she was there by divine calling and personal choice, watching all the marvels that God would bring to pass.

Lois married and had two children; son, David Keith and daughter, Janna. Keith and his wife Kelli are the parents of triplets: Kaycee Lee, Kaitlyn Dell, and Zebulon Aaron, Lois' only grandchildren. Keith, Kelli, Janna , and the triplets were the joy of her life.

Lois was an avid reader from age 5 on. She loved gospel music and hymns, particularly those sung by her family. She enjoyed Bible Study. She liked playing the piano, communicating with large numbers of former students, working crossword puzzles, writing curriculum guides for various school districts, doing rewrites of classical literature, writing short stories, and spending time with her family and friends.

She liked sports, particularly basketball and volleyball. In high school she lettered in varsity basketball three years. She and her cousin, Ollie Ladd Bundrick were co-captains of their team their senior year.

Lois was preceded in death by her parents and her three brothers: Lonnie, Jim, and Loy; and sisters-in-law, Frances Ladd and Velda Ladd. Survivors include: Janna Maxey (daughter) of Rockville, VA; Keith and Kelli Swinney (son & wife) of Chesterfield, VA; Dena Ladd of Deer Park, TX; Shirley Ladd of Lufkin, TX; Kaycee Swinney of Chesterfield, VA; Zebulon Swinney of Crewe, VA, and Kaitlyn Swinney Heater and husband, Chris, of South Carolina and many wonderful nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Her life long friend since preschool was Carolyn (Dias) Smith, and she was especially close to cousins Robbie Collins Bowling, Martha Modisette and Naomi Collins Harris. Cathie Klein Keblinger was a close & dear friend from college days at SFA. Other special and close friends were Margie Adkins, Mattilyn & Sam Fraser, Linda Stutz, and Gerald Wesbrook.

The family will be holding a short, informal graveside service at the Gann Cemetery in Pollock, Texas on December 20th at 2:00 pm.