From Juli Stewart

Dear Family,
I am sorry to hear of your loss. Early in our family's homeschooling years, I met Carolyn. She was the president of our local support group. She was so sweet in spirit. I enjoyed her warmth and hospitality at her home for meetings. I also met Joffre when he worked at Faith Pres. I helped Miss Amy in the church library and Joffre was very gracious in lending assistance many times to us. May the Lord comfort you all. What a beautiful way to bring stories of Carolyn together. ~Juli

From the Clarkes

Dearest Family,

Your sorrow is our sorrow, your hurt is our hurt, your peace is our peace.

May God grant you all peace in knowing Carolyn is frolicking in the heavenly meadows and smiling down upon you with her love. Although she has left her earthly being, her soul and spirit shall remain in your hearts forever and always.

Please let us know if we can do anything at any time.

Our love always,

Pam and Dick Clarke

Cody Clarke

Anje and Ryan Postma

From Mardy Freeman

My daughter, Kate, called me yesterday while I was in North Carolina to let me know you had let her know about your mom’s passing. I was so sad to hear. What a delightful and genuinely caring person your beautiful mom was to so many of us. What a treat is was to get together with her in your beautiful historic house in the middle of downtown Gainesville. It was Carolyn who introduced us ladies to the Melting Pot, where she walked us for chocolate fondue one night. What fun she was to be with; what an encouragement to those around her. I will always love her, and look forward to seeing her again in Heaven. Thank you for this chance to tell you how much she was loved.

Mardy Freeman

From Claudio Cunha

The first time I met Carolyn was in Brazil, about twenty years ago, in the late 80's, some time before they left to their long journey to Edmonton, Canada. At that time I had the pleasure to work with Joffre, at IPT, a research institute, in Sao Paulo. Joffre also was my MSc thesis supervisor and my scientific mentor. I learnt to admire him and his lovely family, the three kids, Joffre, Jonathan, and Jennifer, and how their mother was as inspiration and light for them. Many years later, in 2003, destiny took me to Gainesville, FL, for a sabbatical at the UF. I had the chance to be close to Carolyn and Joffre. I was living alone, could not bring my family with me, and Joffre and Carolyn’s home was a kind of second home away from home. Spending Thanksgiving with them in 2003 was an unforgettable experience, and I felt all the warmth, all the love that surrounded the entire family. More than that, I really felt as if I was really part of the family, and very fortunate to be with all of you. Those times in Gainesville, the times with Joffre and Carolyn, the day I arrived from Brazil and we had lunch together, the so many times we had the chance to talk and laugh, sometimes in so-long forgotten Portuguese, are certainly among the best times of my entire life.

May Carolyn be in peace. She shall be remembered as a lovely and very special woman, a mother and spouse who dedicated her life to her family, who raised their children with all her love, giving the best of herself. And she must be very proud of it. May the whole Swait family find the light and the strength to cope with this tragic loss, to accept and understand the wishes of God, and to continue to live your lives, being sure that she is with the Lord, and looking for all of you, and smiling, very proud of you, just waiting the time for you to get reunited again.

Claudio B. Cunha