M Shirley Swain Obituary (1949

"Now, we see through a glass darkly; Then, shall I know even as I am known" Marion Shirley Swain was born on December 17th, 1949 in Phoenix, Arizona. She was the red-headed firstborn of Jessie Low and Marion F. Swain. While she never married and had no children of her own, Shirley (as she was called by family) chose a path of caregiving. She graduated with a degree in Nursing in 1971 and worked in the healthcare industry for 40 years, in positions ranging from labor and delivery to oncology. The side of Shirley that offered comfort to the grieving was displayed not only in her nursing, but in her personal interactions with nieces and nephews. Shirley was never too busy to sit with a struggling nephew, nor too judgmental to hold the hand of a hurting niece. Her ability to listen, without guile or condemnation, endeared her to those who crossed her path. Shirley felt a strong connection to the weaker things in this world – the forgotten, the rejected, the downtrodden. She delighted in the company of animals and opened her home to feline and canine friends. In her final days, it was her puppy, Harley, that consumed her thoughts. Shirley’s well of sympathies flowed from her own frequent experiences as an outsider looking in. For a time, she left the path of her Lord and Savior, but found her way back to the Church she loved. The Apostle Paul reminds us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Much to her relief and happiness, Shirley will have discovered by now that with what judgment you judge, by that same measure you also will be judged. In many ways, Shirley’s heart lived in and longed for the past. She collected pictures and stamps of Betty Boop, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean. She treasured movies from the Golden Age of Cinema. She eschewed texts and emails for neatly written letters on custom stationary. There was a part of Shirley that knew the past is not so distant as we believe – that remembering and loving people keeps them alive and present. Shirley was never so happy as sitting with a loved one on her porch, looking out on a night freshly blanketed in snow. She would remark often about the beauty of Utah’s winter landscape and her comfortability in its breathless, quiet places. She felt a supernatural attachment to the idea of being made pure and clean and unblemished by the hand of God. It was in these moments, her words of encouragement visibly suspended in the night air, that her heart knew peace. Marion Shirley Swain died on March 25th, 2024 at the age of 74. She is survived by her puppy, her friends, her two sisters Julie Ann Stringer and Sandra Romney, and the eight nieces and nephews with whom she sat on those wintery nights. In many ways, Shirley lived in, but not of the world. Empathy and a kind ear do not always translate to the comforts of mortal life – a husband, a home, children, prestige, security. But she gave to others freely and without prejudice that which she desired most: acceptance and love. Surely in the bosom of Jesus she is known, accepted, and loved. "Come to me all who are heavy laden, And I will give you rest"