Lavia Smartwood

Lavina Swartwood, 86, passed away peacefully in her sleep at her Bay Pointe Retirement Community apartment in Bremerton Nov. 1, 2003. A resident of Oak Harbor for 37 years, she left many dear friends in the community so that she could be closer to family in Bremerton during her last months.

Born Lavina Mae Lockner in New Plymouth, Idaho, March 13, 1917, she graduated from high school in Fruitland, Idaho, in 1935, where she played basketball and was class president. After graduation she worked in the Fruitland telephone office and as assistant postmistress. A war-time bride, she married Samuel Vernon Swartwood, also of Fruitland, in Bremerton Nov. 23, 1941. As much a veteran as Sam, she moved about the country from duty station to duty station while she raised sons Richard and James, eventually settling in Oak Harbor in 1966, where Sam retired from the Navy as a senior chief petty officer in 1969; he was a hospital corpsman. Lavina worked at the Commissary at the Seaplane Base until she retired in 1978. Sam died in Oak Harbor Oct. 8, 1982.

Lavina traveled far after leaving her hometown of Fruitland, Idaho. She lived in Virginia, Louisiana, Florida, Illinois, California, Guam and Oregon during Sam’s Navy career. While Sam was stationed on Guam they traveled to Hong Kong and Japan.

Lavina enjoyed reading, crocheting, gardening, music, travel, time with family and friends and in her later years golf and bowling, where she was very active in league play in Oak Harbor.

A dedicated mother, she saw her sons both attend and graduate from military academies and serve as officers in the Armed Forces before they entered careers in civil service, where they rose to high levels.

Having lived through the Great Depression and the shortages and rationing of World War II, Lavina learned to be hard-working, thrifty and resourceful while still maintaining a love of life and people. Outgoing and very generous to her family and to many charitable organizations during the later years of her life, she was a loving wife, sister, mother, grandmother and friend; and she will be greatly missed.

Lavina is survived by her two sons and their wives, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She will be laid to rest next to Sam at Parkview Cemetery in New Plymouth, Idaho, at 11 a.m. Nov. 10.