In Memory of My Loving Sister

Donna Maree Swarz (nee Vance)
was taken from us on the 14th of October 1996, at the age of 38.
She had suffered from ovarian cancer for eight years,
being first diagnosed when she was 30.

Although we cannot see her everyday,
she is still very much with us,
in our hearts and memories.

Donna married young to Heinz Swarz,
a man we have all grown to love.
I first met Heinz when I was about twelve,
and he has become a brother to me.
Heinz was a tower of strength to Donna as she was to him
throughout their married life.
I am so very proud of him
for standing by my sister through her illness.
The support and love he showed Donna
and the rest of the family, while he was suffering inside himself
as he watched helplessly as Donna came so near to death so many times,
was, and still is amazing;
but it is just a part of the Heinz we love.
He would not have had it any other way.
I would just like to say thank you Heinz,
for everything you did for Donna.
You are a very special person, Bro !

Donna and Heinz shared two children,
Daryle and Karen.
They brought so much happiness to their proud parents.
I have some very fond memories of them both growing up.
We all shared some wonderful times.
Memories that we all have of a wonderful and caring wife,
mother, daughter, sister, aunt, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, and friend.

The following poem is very special to me,
and is how my sister lived her life.

DON'T QUIT

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but never quit.

Life is strange with its twists and turns
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And maybe a failure would turn about,
If we have the courage to stick it out.
Never give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near, when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit.
It's when things seem their worst, you must never quit.


Donna was a woman so full of courage!
Never did she complain as she underwent her fight for life.
Never once did she give up hope.
She was a fighter to the very end.
If you were to ask anyone that had met Donna,
they would all tell you the same thing.
Everyone that she knew has special memories
of a wonderful person;
a person who was taken away from us far too soon.
The following poem I wrote shortly after my sister died.
This is the first time that I have shared it.

DEAR SISTER

You were always there when I needed someone who cared.
I could always count on you to listen when I was in dispair.
As we grew into adults and went our separate ways
I knew I could always phone, and you would listen and help me, come what may.
As the years passed and you got sick,
I knew it was then my turn to do my bit.
I would help you whenever I could.
Watch you suffer and hope that you would come good.
Time and again you would pull through
You were a fighter, that everyone knew.
Now the battle is fought, and it's over for you.
The time has come when you have to rest.
Dear Sister, to me, you will always be the best.
You have touched so many hearts
I am so proud that I was part:
A part of your life, that we will always share.
Thank you, Sister, for being there.
It's time to say goodbye for now.
I know we will meet again one day;
Don't know when, but I do know how.


As I look back on my sister's life,
and the sad and happy times we shared,
a smile comes to my face.
A smile that I never thought would happen.
Donna has made me understand that she has not gone, and never will be.
She is alive in all of us.
Donna is happy now, not because she had to leave her loved ones,
but because she has seen her children grow and is so very proud of them.
She has watched also as her husband met and fell in love with Jen,
and has seen how very happy Heinz's new wife makes him.
I feel that somehow Donna had a hand in their chance meeting,
and I know my dear sister is so very happy for them both.
A heartfelt thanks goes out to Jen, our new sister,
from both Donna and myself........we love you Jen!
I could spend many hours telling you about my sister,
but will close with the following poem.

 

DO NOT STAND AT MY GRAVE AND CRY