Though the odds were against her, Patricia Mae Swapp lived an exceptional life and successfully completed mortality on June 27, 2026, at the age of 85.

Born on March 5, 1941, in Yakima Washington, Pat entered the world so small that her first bed was a shoe box.  She was the oldest child of Alma Mae Wolf and Charles Reno Sampson, and is preceded in death by her parents, her brother Charles (aka Skip), Sampson, her sister Nancy Ann Grubbs, and her half-sister Dorothy Prokesh.  She is survived by her brother, John Sampson. 

At times in her childhood her family experienced impoverished circumstances.  Her father moved the family frequently, which resulted in her attending a new school every year except for one.  Eventually, her family moved to Kanab, Utah in her high school years.  When they moved again, she chose to stay behind.  She graduated from Kanab High School in 1959 and met and married L. Phillip Parkes in 1960.  His greatest gift to her was introducing her to the church he belonged to, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Following the births of their first three children, Larry, Tracy, and Teresa, the family moved to southern Oregon where Phillip worked for Dame Lumber in a sawmill.  After the birth of their next child, Lane, Pat spearheaded the work of buying a house on a small farm and selling their trailer house.  Their last child, Janice, was born after they moved to the farm. Pat became an excellent homemaker and a very good cook.  Not only did her family benefit from her skill, but also many neighbors, friends, and even strangers.  She was industrious and made everything from “scratch”—ice cream from the family milk cow, blackberry pies from the berries across the street, and homemade bread that she kneaded by hand. 

As a single parent following a divorce, Pat started tending other people’s children to provide for her family.  She taught her children about faith in God through her example.  Without enough money to pay her bills in full each month, she would write a check for a lesser amount, close her checkbook, and say, “Well, I’ve paid my tithing so somehow everything will work out.”  And it did!  She had high expectations for her children, and was a strict disciplinarian, but she also loved them deeply and sacrificed her own comforts to make their lives better.  Prayer was Pat’s lifeline.  She developed a deep and abiding trust in God as she prayed and then went to work.  She experienced many miracles during these years.

Perhaps her greatest blessing in life was her marriage to Richard Swapp in 1985.  Richard treated her like a queen and an equal partner as they navigated the experiences of a blended family.  They cherished each other and were equally yoked in their spirituality and their commitment to keep their covenants with God.  They worked hard together and loved their children and grandchildren.  They enjoyed 37 years of marriage, helping each other every step of the way.  Richard preceded her in death in 2022.

Pat moved into Spring Gardens Senior Living in 2023 and was a resident there at the time of her death.  She kept a bowl of lemon drops and a sign outside of her door that said, “When life gives you lemons, make something sweet.”   This saying incapsulates how Patricia Swapp lived her life, and her hope that her friends and family will do the same.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 11:00 AM in the Northbridge LDS Chapel at 1080 West Arlington Street, Washington, Utah 84780. Interment will be in the Kanab Utah Cemetery, 500 East 300 South, Kanab, Utah the same day following services at 4:00 PM.

A zoom link to watch the service will be available here: https://zoom.us/j/96036538139?pwd=jti1ILMbMnw7CaB1UmjUQsbJEtEL98.1