Amelia Ann Swanson

Born in the village of Rock Hill, New York, on May 7, 1937, to Frances and William Schmick, Amy was an only child. She grew up in Detroit, Michigan, surrounded by her mother’s large Italian family of aunts, uncles, and cousins, who all lovingly referred to her as “Bunny.”

Amy attended St. Agnes Catholic High School in Detroit, Michigan, where she played basketball on the girls’ team and rallied the student body as a cheerleader on the pep squad. In 1955, she graduated from St. Agnes with her senior class of 33 fellow classmates, including her soon-to-be husband, Robert (Bob) Varney. Immediately following high school, Amy began her nursing internship, and thus her career in the medical field.

“Bunny” and Bob were married at their alma mater, St. Agnes Church, in Detroit, Michigan, on September 7, 1957. Soon their family began to grow with the birth of their first son, Robert Junior, in 1958, followed by Steven, Scott, Debra, Jeff, and finally, Shannon.

Alongside her career in the medical field, Amy was a dedicated wife, mother, and homemaker. She expressed an immense love for her family through her passion for cooking. She made sure the family came together every Sunday to share love and laughter over a meticulously planned and incredibly delectable meal, often including scratch-made bread. It was a tradition that continued even after the kids were grown. Raising six kids was an adventure all its own, with four raucous boys to contend with. With the boy trauma and the girl drama, there was never a dull moment. From lizards and stitches to dating and kisses, Amy saw it all.

Amy had an eye for unusual things and a knack for giving unique gifts to the people she loved. It was her way of showing you how special you were to her. She loved fine things and had exquisite, eclectic taste. She kept a warm and welcoming home that anyone would immediately feel comfortable in. Her house was always full of food… lots of food, and wine, and laughter, with a good-natured argument sprinkled in here and there, of course.

Amy’s love for traveling, discovering new places and experiencing new things was satisfied as the family traveled around the US and visited Europe and Mexico. She experienced all the different regions and climates of the US as the family moved to the sun and surf of San Diego, then the desert sands of Phoenix and back to Detroit with its four seasons, before settling into the tropical climes of Houston where Amy resumed her career in the medical field while the five oldest kids finished school. Then it was off to San Francisco, where she explored the wine country and tried her hand in real estate. When Bob’s job took them to Portland, she returned to the medical field and enjoyed the cool, lush landscape of the Northwest. And when he was transferred to Guam, she embraced the island life and became the office administrator for his company. Guam was a time of great adventure for Amy. Living halfway around the globe put her close enough to continue exploring exotic new places like Australia, Saipan, and Hong Kong.

Finally, after the loss of her mother, the pull of her homeland was strong, so Amy stayed in Detroit and eventually remarried, embarking on a new adventure with Bill Swanson. And through their union in July 1999, her family grew with the addition of Bill’s six children and seven grandchildren. Both retired, Amy and Bill spent much of their time visiting family around the US and enjoyed relaxing on cruises.

After 15 years of marriage, Amy lost Bill to cancer, and she relocated to Texas to be near her children. She settled in Sun City, Georgetown, and immediately established a network of friends and participated in community activities until her health began to fail. She moved to the Haven at San Gabriel assisted living in early 2026, and after recently visiting with all her children and grandchildren, she finally felt at peace, saying, “Now I can relax.” Amy passed peacefully in her sleep only days later.

Amy is survived by son Scott Varney and his wife Sheri, daughter Debra Malkiewicz, son Jeff Varney and his wife Laura, daughter Shannon Hegerfeld and her husband Chris, and daughter-in-law Sheree Varney; her grandchildren, Ryan Varney and his wife Veronica, Erin Betros and her husband Chris, Melissa Barnes, Troy Varney and his wife Hailey, and Allison Varney; and her great-grandchildren, Madeleine and Alex Betros, Brynley Davis and Emmett Barnes.

Amy was preceded in death by her husband, Bob Varney; husband, Bill Swanson; sons, Steven Varney and Robert Varney; son-in-law, Raymond Malkiewicz; granddaughter, Amanda Varney; and her step-grandson, Joshua Swanson. May they all be waiting in heaven, along with Amy’s mother and father, Frances and William, and the many other family and friends who have gone before, to welcome her home.

To Amy, we raise a glass – of white wine with an ice cube – to a life well lived!

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the Amy Swanson Memorial Fund at the following link:

https://everloved.com/life-of/amelia-swanson/donate/

This fund will be used to install a memorial bench and plant a tree in her memory.