Terry Lee Swinney

Terry Lee Swinney of Jacksonville, FL, age 71, passed away peacefully in his sleep at St. Vincent’s Hospital on July 6, 2023. Terry was born in Virginia Beach, VA on June 28, 1952. A lifelong animal lover, Terry has more than once brought home a stray to his little sister’s delight and his mother’s dismay. He loved sitting in his front yard and feeding the wild birds, making special meals for his dogs, and feeding the many cats in his neighborhood. They all knew when it was time to eat as a great gathering would occur in the vicinity of his home, and when Terry couldn’t be there he was constantly worried that they weren’t being fed.

He loved books and reading, enjoyed a game of pool, and spending hours at the flea market. He was an avid collector of many things. Not only was he a collector for himself, but he loved contributing to other people’s collections, and even at times curating collections for others that they didn’t know they needed. His sister will always be grateful for what must surely be the largest collection of marshmallow “Peeps” memorabilia in the world.

Terry had many jobs over the course of his lifetime, from construction to peanut inspector to book seller, but the job he relished the most was truck driver. Driving a truck afforded him the ability to travel to many varied places, and equally important the chance to meet and talk with numerous diverse people. This was a task which came easily to him with his charming and gregarious nature. As an aside, he would love the fact that the word gregarious was included in his obituary. He would also be equally entertained by the fact that a thesaurus was consulted.

Terry is predeceased by his parents, Rex and Gloria Swinney. He is survived by his brother, Michael Swinney; his sister, Patricia Swinney; a beloved ex-wife with whom he remained close, Lori Silvers; a cherished daughter, Amber Clark; and cousins, good friends, and caregivers too numerous to list, and last but certainly not least, his adored dog, Tobey.

A graveside service will be held at 2:30 pm on Saturday August 19, 2023 at Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida. All are welcome to attend.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to any animal rescue or shelter. Terry would have appreciated that.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hgriversidefuneralhome.com for the Swinney family.