Mrs. Eileen Patricia Swider (née O'Neill) passed away peacefully in Albany, New York on March 25, 2022, just a few days short of her 85 ^th birthday.

Mrs. Swider was born in New York in 1937 to John and Elizabeth O'Neill, and enjoyed an independent childhood in upstate New York.

She was a bright and able student, good athlete and hard worker, and was encouraged by a high-school counselor to apply for college, the first in her family to do so.  Despite her parents urging to train to be a secretary, Eileen followed her gifts and was awarded a full scholarship to attend the teaching college at SUNY New Paltz.  In her final semester, Eileen met William (Bill) Swider who was a physicist at the nearby IBM laboratories.  The two enjoyed a whirlwind romance, and were married in July 1959, after her college graduation.

The new Mrs. Swider then taught school in upstate New York and later in State College, PA, where Bill attended graduate school.  Life changed again for Eileen in 1963, with the birth of her first daughter Sarah, and a year-long stay in Brussels, Belgium, where Bill had a postdoctoral fellowship.  The year in Europe was magical, as the girl with Irish immigrant parents learned French, and had the chance to travel throughout Europe.

Eileen and Bill returned to the United States to settle in Bedford, MA, where Bill took a new position at Hanscom Air Force Base.  Eileen's skills with children were put to full use as she welcomed four more children in the next four years: Michael, Karen, Stacy and Gregory.  Eileen ran her busy household with a steady, kind hand – always emphasizing the wonder and importance of education and of the natural world.

When her kids went off to grade school, Eileen became an avid tennis player, competing on teams throughout suburban Boston.  She also became determined to travel beyond local beach trips.  She helped Bill plan a sabbatical in Utah in 1975, driving with the family of 7 across the country in a station wagon, and living in a university community for 4 months. Her wanderlust never abated, and she arranged yearly winter trips to the Caribbean and Florida to escape the Northern cold.   Retirement with Bill was filled with trips across Europe and the Middle East, as well as exploring the U.S. and visiting her seven grandchildren.

Eileen was fiercely proud of her family and their achievements but preferred to talk about world politics and the latest book she was reading.  She enjoyed wonderful relationships with many long-time friends and neighbors in Bedford, MA.

Her happy life was challenged in 1978 when her brother Edward succumbed to cancer, and again the last few years of her with the loss of her beloved husband Bill and youngest son Greg, also to cancer.

Even as her memory began to fail, Eileen was always cheerful, never complained, and was able to adapt and make new friends in her new assisted living quarters.  Her children were often pulled aside by her caretakers who said, "your mother is so nice."

Along with her four eldest children and seven grandchildren, she is survived by her nephew Bevin O'Neill.

Eileen's bright mind, steady determination, and optimism for opportunities in life brought much joy and hope to her family and friends, and she will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

Please join her family at Bedford Funeral Home, 167 Great Rd., Bedford, for a celebration of Eileen's life on Thursday, May 12, 2022, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.  There will be a small burial service for Eileen at Shawsheen Cemetery on May 13.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 309 Waverley Oaks Rd., Waltham, MA 02452.