Anne M. (Spillane) Swords

Anne Marie "Mickey" Swords passed away peacefully at home with her family on June 15, 2025.

Anne was the daughter of the late Thomas and Mary Spillane and was born in Philadelphia, one of nine children, including her twin sister Ruth. As an infant, her father passed away and she was enrolled in St. Vincent's Orphanage in Tacony, Philadelphia. She later attended West Catholic High School for Girls, where she was known to occasionally skip out to dance on "American Bandstand." She attended Wilfred Beauty Academy and became a licensed cosmetologist.

Anne married John 'Jack' Swords of Malvern, PA and settled in Briarcliffe, PA in the early 1960s. After being widowed with four boys, she enrolled her sons in Girard College, a residential boarding school in Philadelphia. A hairdresser, she loved reading horoscopes, gossiping and engaging with people. As her children will tell you, if you left her alone anywhere for five minutes, she'd make a new friend.

A parishioner of St. Joseph Church in Collingdale, Anne believed strongly in the character-building power of work, often working multiple jobs to support her family and was employed until her mid-70's. In her retirement, she enjoyed visiting her son and his family in California and another in London, England. She loved to stay in motion-in cars, trains and planes- with her frequent companion and caregiver Shawn Swords, her eldest son. She enjoyed everything life had to offer, especially if it was covered in chocolate.

Having had two sons in the Navy, Anne loved and supported veterans over the years, attending numerous events honoring them and supporting their causes. During her final five years, she encountered numerous health issues yet battled on, encouraged by words of kindness and support especially from Vietnam combat veteran James Kirlin.

She is survived by her sons Shawn, Michael and Patrick as well as her grandsons Connor and Ryan; her daughter-in-laws Katherine and Nancy, her beloved twin-sister Ruth Leinhauser, niece Leigh-Anne Brown, her husband Dan and children Danny, Riley and Kai; her nephew Richard 'Richie' Leinhauser and his wife Anne and their son Ronan. Her second son, Joseph Francis Swords, passed in December of 2024 and is greatly missed along with her brother-in-law Richard 'Dick' Leinhauser who passed in June of 2023.

Relatives and friends are invited to her Viewing Wednesday, June 25, 2025 at 4:00pm at St. Joseph Church, 500 Woodlawn Ave. Collingdale, PA 19023 and to her Funeral Mass at 6pm in the Church. Internment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Disabled American Veterans. https://help.dav.org