Frances Shirley Schwartz

Frances Shirley Schwartz passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Saturday, November 19, 2016, in Dallas, Texas. She was 86. She is survived by her daughter Jeanette Pincus and son in-law Dr. Michael Pincus; her son David Schwartz and daughter in-law Nina Schwartz; her four grandchildren Dr. Scott Pincus, Erica Weinberger (and husband Ashton Weinberger), Eva Schwartz and Gabriella Schwartz; her brother Dr. Jerome Byers and sister in-law Hazel Byers; and her sister in-law Gloria Schrader and husband Morie Schrader. She was preceded in death by her parents Abe and Eva Byers and her husband Herman "Hy" Schwartz, who died in 2011. Shirley, as she was known to her wide circle of family and friends, was born in Dallas, Texas on January 17, 1930. She was a proud third-generation Dallasite, whose grandfather Frank Byers was one of the founders of Congregation Tiferet Israel in 1890 and served as the synagogue's first president. Shirley graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School and attended Southern Methodist University. As a young woman, she worked at the Veterans Administration in Dallas. Shirley met Hy on a blind date while he was stationed at Fort Hood during the Korean War. Hy fell hard for the auburn-haired beauty, and, following a brief courtship, they married at the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas on August 22, 1954. They moved to New York City, Hy's hometown where Shirley worked at Sylvania Electric. After a short stint there, Shirley and Hy returned to Dallas, where they raised Jeanette and David. During the 1970s, Shirley co-owned Knit & Stitch at Meadow Central Mall in North Dallas. She was active in Hadassah and the Jewish War Veterans Ladies Auxiliary of the USA and served as a volunteer at the Jewish Family Service’s Food Pantry. Shirley loved her time as “Chapter Mom” for both Jeanette’s youth group, Ginny Weinstein BBG, and David’s youth group, Louis D. Brandeis AZA. She was an avid mah jongg and bridge player. Shirley was personable, funny, curious, supportive and resilient. She will be greatly missed by all those who depended on her regular phone calls and visits for encouragement, advice, a good laugh and an update on her cats. The funeral service for Shirley Schwartz will take place at Congregation Tiferet Israel, 10909 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, Texas, at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, November 22, 2016. Interment will follow graveside at Hillcrest Memorial Park, 7405 W. Northwest Highway. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Jewish Social Service Agency of Greater Washington, D.C., Congregation Tiferet Israel, or the charity of your choice.