Barbara B. Swords

Barbara Joyce Bowman Swords of Brethren Village entered into eternal rest April 9. She was 97 years old. She was born in Norborne, MO to Vernon K. and Jewell (Reynolds) Bowman. Barbara was married to Gene G. Swords in August of 1950. They made a home for their 7 children in Lancaster County.

She graduated from Ludlowville High School, Lansing, NY in 1946, and attended Elizabethtown College, participating in the choir and in cheerleading.

Barbara was a stay-at-home Mom for 18 years. She was employed with the Title 1 Reading Program at Lampeter-Strasburg for 30 years.

She grew up in the Church of the Brethren, first at Rockingham, MO, then King Ferry, NY for over 70 years at Mountville, PA where she was a deacon, taught classes, and sang in the choir.

Barbara’s interests included classical music with a special passion for operas and oratorios, a joy she shared with her husband and family. Hymns and anthems she had known all her life were a source of joy and comfort.

Road trips throughout USA and Canada with friends, camping with family and singing with a choir overseas and at Chautauqua, NY were highlights of her life.

She enjoyed crossword puzzles, reading, writing her life story and making Swedish weaving afghans for her family.

Her family, friends and church family were dear and close to her heart.

She is survived by children and their spouses: Theodore Swords (Donna), Richard Swords (Catherine), Joanne Swords-Wang (Siang Hua), Jeanine Houff (Marlin), Robert Swords (Elaine), Jeanette Beisel (Robert), Judy Miller (Mark), 18 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, brother Paul Bowman, brother-in-law Ron Kelly and nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband Gene, beloved grandson Brian Gene Swords, dear sister Patti Kelly, and sisters-in-law Verna (Henderson) Bowman and Anita (Swords) Hess, and brother-in-law Earl Hess.

Her memorial service will be held at Mountville Church of the Brethren April 24, 3pm with visitation at 2pm. Please omit flowers. If you wish, a donation in Barbara’s memory can be made to the Mountville Church of the Brethren music department www.mountvillecob.org. Or you may donate to the Good Samaritan fund at Brethren Village www.bv.org.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Brethren Village for the compassionate care that their mother received.