Sylvia Swift Besing

Sylvia Swift Besing joined her Lord and Savior on April 4, 2019. Sylvia was born on December 21, 1935, in Nacogdoches, Texas, to loving parents Luther and Alice “Patsy” Swift. Sylvia graduated from Nacogdoches High School and went on to attend Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, following her mother and many family members, including her Great Uncle, Dr. A.W. Birdwell, who was the first President of Stephen F. Austin, holding that position from 1921 – 1941.

Sylvia continued her family’s academic legacy and became an elementary school teacher in Houston and Dallas. She went on to marry Ray Besing and had four boys, Chris, Gil, Andy, and Paul, whom she adored. She was a Life Master in bridge and made lifelong friendships playing bridge in Dallas and throughout the United States. She nourished people around her with love, her beautiful smile and sweet demeanor. She didn’t care for material things and her greatest qualities were her kindness and generosity. Her favorite word was “wonderful”. Everything in Sylvia’s eyes was wonderful and she never complained, even through her illness in the final years of her life.

Sylvia was always a “small town” girl, and never let go of her red dirt roots in East Texas. For over 50 years, she and as many as 20 of her Nacogdoches high school friends gathered often for weekends at the lake, sharing stories of their lives, enjoying pot luck dinners and watching old movies.

Sylvia loved to travel with her family and friends to France, Italy, Mexico, Montana and, in the early years, Crested Butte on family trips with her boys. Even though she loved travel adventures, she was always most comfortable in Texas and would often cut trips short to get home early. She would often say “you know me, I just like to be home”.

One of Sylvia’s greatest joys was being a grandmother to eight grandchildren. “Syba”, as she became known, loved her grandchildren and they loved her. She loved holidays, especially Christmas. Having the whole family together during the holidays brought her extreme joy and happiness.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Luther Swift, Jr. and Alice “Patsy” Swift. Sylvia leaves behind a loving family, including her sister Patricia Robert and husband Pierre and their children, Pierre, Lance and Renee; her brother Luther Swift, III; sons Chris Besing and wife Amy, Gil Besing and wife Tricia, Andy Besing and wife Holly and Paul Besing; eight loving grandchildren Brent, Allie, JC, Sarah, Ashley, Lindsay, Barrett and Blakely.

Her family would especially like to thank Sylvia’s caretaker, Diann Grant, for her love and care during the past year, and to Lynn Sibley, Sylvia’s life long best friend who was at her side to the very end.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Peter O’Donnell, Jr. Brain Institute – UT Southwestern, Dallas, Texas.