Laura Lou Swires

November 23, 1947 – October 25, 2025

Major Laura Lou Swires, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and faithful servant of God, was Promoted to Glory on October 25, 2025.

Born in Homestead, Pennsylvania, on November 23, 1947, Laura Lou was the eldest of four siblings. She entered The Salvation Army’s School for Officers’ Training in 1965 and was commissioned as part of the Witnesses to the Faith Session. Her ministry embodied the words of Ruth 1:16 — “Where you go, I will go.”

Laura Lou served faithfully as a Salvation Army officer for nearly five decades, ministering across Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Delaware. She met her husband, John Swires, at the Training School while she was appointed there, and they were married in 1972, beginning a lifelong partnership in ministry. John was happy to bequeath to the school “one empty desk in the Education Department” upon his own commissioning. Together, they led corps appointments, Harbor Light ministries, and Adult Rehabilitation Centers, concluding their service in 2012 when they retired as ARC officers.

Her life was a testament to the phrase she preached on once: “I’m not lucky, I’m blessed.” She was known for her hospitality and her ability to make everyone feel like family. Whether feeding the entire Sharon High School football team, creating a second home for her children’s friends, Laura Lou lived out the love of Christ through her open door and open heart.

While raising her four children, she delighted in hosting family Thanksgivings and the cherished “Brady Christmas.” She loved cheering for her beloved Pittsburgh Steelers (rarely missing a game) and found joy in simple moments—playing bingo with her grandchildren, supporting her children’s after-school activities, and sharing laughter around the table. Her creativity and passion for people overflowed into everything she did—from designing ministry programs later captured in the book “Are We Having Fun Yet” to filling her home with warmth, generosity, and joy.

In retirement, she and her husband settled in Hunters Creek, Florida, just outside Walt Disney World—her “dream home” and a favorite gathering place for her growing family. Even in retirement, she continued to serve, supporting The Salvation Army’s work in Kissimmee, Florida, and encouraging others through her unwavering faith and compassion.

She is survived by her devoted husband John Swires, her children Major Geoffrey (Marisabel) Swires, Captain Bryden (Zoé) Swires, Jennifer Wynne, and Captain Scott (Tabitha) Swires, along with nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind two brothers, Robert and Dean Brady, and countless friends and loved ones who were blessed by her kindness.

She now rejoices in Heaven, reunited with her parents, William and Elizabeth Brady, and her beloved sister, Patricia Huey— the two of them once again as inseparable as those “never such devoted sisters” they loved to sing about.

Celebration of Life & Homegoing Service

A Time of Fellowship will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by a Memorial Service at 11:00 a.m., on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at The Salvation Army College for Officer Training, 201 Lafayette Avenue, Suffern, NY 10901.