Obituary of Jessica Sue Swaim

If you were lucky enough to know and love Jessica Swaim,“Jeb or Jebby,” then you no doubt got to hear her naughty laugh, her penchant for a well-placed pun, and her wonder for the smallest detail in the natural world. Jeb had the spirit and energy of a border collie, the devotion and delight of a golden retriever, and the quick-witted bite of a jack russell terrier. She was happiest on long hikes with her canine companions in the rugged and stunning landscape of her adopted home in Parker, Colorado. She spoke often of her picture-book childhood in Sedalia, Missouri, the daughter of Bill Senior and Hazel, alongside her beloved brother Bill Brown, and lifetime friend Cathy. Her 49 year marriage to Stephen Swaim, a Vietnam veteran and firefighter, was a portrait of steadfastness and service to each other. She leaves behind dozens of friends, an extended family including Bill and Dianne Brown, Allison and Alan Roiseland and family including Luke, Emma, and C.C.

Though she claimed to have lived a humble and “small” life, she touched so many with her work as a children’s librarian, court reporter (a job that made her a grammar goddess but that she ultimately despised), a greeting card creator, and especially as a children’s book author. Her books, like Hound from the Pound and Why Do I Chase Thee (parodies of classic poetry written through the eyes of dogs like Elizabeth Basset Browning), showcased her glee and gift with language, a spectacular wordsmith revealed in her joyful, clever, unexpected rhyme.

If she wasn’t hiking, writing, gardening, crocheting toys for needy kids, or training one of her dogs, you would probably catch Jeb with a book in her hand (long before you’d find a spatula or saucepan, how she despised the making and cleaning up of meals). A voracious reader, she couldn’t get enough of poetry collections, children’s books, and  historical fiction featuring hot Scots.  A lifetime learner and never too old to play- she re-started piano lessons after retirement with her young teacher, Anna, and together they recorded Christmas duets in costume as video cards. 

She would hate it if you cried for her or pitied her so knock it off already and go outside. Even in death, she showed a stubborn, righteous  dignity- refusing treatment that would’ve left her locked inside and tethered to tubes. If you’d like to honor Jessica, go rescue a dog at your local shelter, or buy and donate a children’s book to a child who doesn’t have one, or make something and share it with those poor people stuck in a hospital or nursing home. You can bet she’s out exploring the next universe, taking notes and writing poems she’ll share with you when you finally catch up to her someday.

This was her last poem, a haiku written with her final wish granted in painless peace:

when the time comes let

me be a bird who gently

lets go of the branch.

And so she did.

Jessica’s brother, Bill Brown, has started a scholarship in her name. For more information or to donate visit: https://www.thecfef.org/