David Paul Swanzy

CENTER — David Paul Swanzy, 86, of Center, TX, passed away peacefully at home, July 18, 2024. He was born on March 26, 1938, in Longview, Texas, to William Robert “Bob” Swanzy and Sallie Mae Billingsley Swanzy.

Funeral service will be held at 3 PM, Mon., July 22nd, at Watson & Sons Funeral Home with Rev. Joel McMahon Sr. officiating. Visitation from 2 to 3 PM. Private family graveside to follow at Shelbyville Cemetery.

The Swanzy family came to Texas from Abbeville, South Carolina, to the Hurstown area in the middle 1850s, and the Billingsley family came from Mississippi to the Shady Grove Community, Shelby County, in the early 1860s. David’s parents were both educators and met at a college in the Center area before 1915 and were married in June 1915 in Shelby County. He was the last child of Bob and Mae’s six children of whom only four made it to adulthood. David liked to say that he “failed kindergarten three times.” His mother taught in a one-room schoolhouse in the Shelbyville area where she was able to take him to school with her starting at age three. In 1955, David graduated from Center High School as valedictorian, a year ahead of his age group.

Early in his school years, music became David’s main interest, and he was talented in that area. His specialty was cornet and trumpet. He was in the Center High School band all four years, many times playing the trumpet solos. After high school, David was provided a music scholarship to Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana, with the stipulation and privilege of playing in the Shreveport Symphony during those years.

In 1958, after meeting and marrying Ann Rice, a fellow student at Centenary, David began his career as a middle school music teacher in the Shreveport area. However, soon after that experience, David decided to continue his education by attending graduate school at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, receiving his Master’s degree in 1962 and his Doctorate of Music in 1966. After several years of teaching at Edinboro University in Edinboro, Pennsylvania; Glenville State University in Glenville, West Virginia; and Southern Methodist University in Dallas, in 1977, he began his highly successful career of more than two decades as Dean of the College of Music at Loyola University in New Orleans.

During David’s career at Loyola, he wrote textbooks for the higher education market; won many awards; served on national music boards and advisory committees; and worked with the John Philip Sousa Foundation. He was especially involved with the jazz musicians in New Orleans as teacher, mentor, or friend. David was a tireless promoter of Loyola University and of the New Orleans Symphony. He was also privileged to have traveled the world including what had been Soviet Georgia. David was key in consultations regarding a student/faculty exchange program with the rector of the Georgian State Conservatory of Music of Tbilisi, Georgia. Computers were also fascinating to him and, during one of the several sabbaticals David took, he enjoyed working on the computer software Word Perfect at Brigham Young University in Provost, Utah.

In 2006, David retired moving back to his hometown of Center. He was very active in his church and the community, especially enjoying delving into Shelby County history and genealogy. Writing articles for The Light and Champion and Shelby County Today was a result of that research. David also produced an online magazine, We the People of Shelby County, for five years, until a decline in his health ended that pursuit. Being such an energetic man, even after heart surgery in 2015, in September 2016, David accepted the post and served as Interim Director of the School of Performing Arts and UT Tyler for six months.

After eleven years of research, David’s proudest accomplishment was writing and publishing a book about the French Resistance fighters during World War II, siting the death of his brother, Captain Robert Swanzy, on July 12, 1944, over a small town in France during an air battle. This historical narrative mostly consists of the personal accounts of the rescue of the crewmen who were able to escape their B-12 Liberator bomber, by parachute, before it crashed over a vineyard near La Tour d’Aigues.

He is survived by his wife of 18 years, Maelinda Shepherd Swanzy; son, David Michael Swanzy of Tyler; daughter, Elizabeth Suzanne “Betsy” Swanzy of Summit, MS; stepsons, Berry Morgan Chamness of Philadelphia, PA, Thomas Kelly Chamness and wife Lisa of Baltimore, MD, and Matthew Shepherd Chamness of Galveston; grandchildren, Emily Isemann, Marisa Rose Chamness, Justin Thomas Chamness, Courtney Megan Chamness Moore and husband Clayton, Nicholas Matthew Chamness, and Reilley Alexa Chamness; nephews and niece, David Dixon Golden, Sr. and wife Melody, Dennis Donia Golden, Sr., Gary Robert Golden, Sr. and wife Jeanette, and Sarah Suzon Golden Cloud and husband Danny; numerous other relatives and friends.

David is preceded in death by his wife of 23 years, Elizabeth Ann Rice Swanzy; his wife of 21 years, Janet Sitges Swanzy; parents, William Robert and Sallie Mae Billingsley Swanzy; brothers, William Robert Swanzy, Jr., Jack Richard Swanzy, Melvin Earl Swanzy; sisters, Sarah Jane Swanzy Golden and Martha Sue Swanzy; brother-in-law, Donia Dixon “Pete” Golden; sister-in-law, Wynona Lee “Nonie” Kirl Swanzy; and niece, Carolynn Jean Swanzy Brewer.

Pallbearers serving will be David Michael Swanzy, Matthew Chamness, Dixon Golden, Dennis Golden, Gary Golden, and Danny Cloud. Honorary pallbearers will be Thomas Kelly Chamness, Tim Verner, Walter “Buster” Bounds, David Chadwick, Leroy Newman, Charles “Chuck” Lunsford, John Crawford Rogers, Sr., Curtis Menefee, Michael R. Howard, and members of the Center Noon Lions Club.

The family would like to thank Accent Care Home Health Care Services and Hospice of East Texas for their loving care. Also, special thanks to the wonderful round-the-clock caregivers/friends: Shana Bearden, Brittney Bearden, Debbie Quigg, and Tonya Williams. They were amazing and tireless in over three years of tender, loving concern, and responsible care.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial may be sent to Samaritan’s Purse or to your favorite church or charity.