Deborah Clarke Swindlehurst

(McInnis), (Swindlehurst)

Of Truro, MA and Venice, Florida on December 3, 2015.

Deborah was born in Boston on July 2, 1936, the daughter of John and Helen McInnis, and moved to Westwood, MA in 1940. She was very active in the Girl Scouts starting at the age of 7. She was one of two girls from Massachusetts to be selected for an All State Encampment in Cody, Wyoming and primitive camping in Canada with the Canadian Girl Guides. At the age of 18, she represented New England on a European tour. She

traveled to England on the USS United States and visited

England, France and Sweden. While in England she visited Hampton Court and had tea with Lady Baden Powell and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Deborah attended the University of Maine in Orono, where she was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. It was here that she met and married Wendell Roy Wharff in 1956.

Deborah graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville. Deborah and Wendell had two children, Kimberly and Christopher.

She moved to Westwood with her family after graduation and taught high school English in both Millis and Westwood, MA. In 1972 Deborah moved with her family to Merrimack, NH where she resided for 12 years working with Wendell at Gordon Boyd& Co. She earned her Insurance Adjusters’ license in NH and worked in the Independent Claims Adjusting business for many years until Wendell’s passing in 1981.

Following Wendell’s death she married Paul Swindlehurst and they lived in Maryland, Illinois, Truro, MA and Venice, Florida and enjoyed traveling abroad.

While at her summer residence in Truro, Cape Cod, Deborah proudly volunteered as a docent and a board member of the Truro Historical Society.

Deborah is survived by her children, Kimberly Bell Chester and her husband David of Sherborn, MA and Christopher Allen Wharff and his wife Lori of Yarmouth, ME. Nana to her beloved grandchildren; Courtney Jane Bell of Somerville, MA, Jennifer Carrie Wharff of Brighton, MA, Katherine Joanne Wharff of Brunswick, ME and Benjamin Chapman Chester of Sherborn, MA.

Deborah leaves her sister, Jane Bennett of Hingham, MA,

her nieces, Bonnie and Tracey and nephew Rick, his wife Ellie and their children Taylor and Sarah.

She visited Wendell’s hometown of Guilford, ME a week ago and loved and remembers her in laws, Elaine Law, and Marilyn Wharff, as well as, the families of the late Kenneth and Donald Wharff.

She is also loved and remembered by her extended family, Catherine, James and Riley, Cindy, Shawn and Griffin, Isabelle, the Doolan family, and the family of the late Paul Swindlehurst.

There will be a family gathering at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Truro, MA, on Saturday, December 12th in remembrance of Deborah’s life.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory could be made to either The Truro Historical Society, 13 Truro Center Rd, Truro, MA 02666 or the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, 95 Berkeley Street, Suite 404, Boston, MA 02116