Esther Swinson

The Legacy of Queen Esther

Esther Connor Swinson was born on June 1, 1934, in Patrick County, Virginia, to the late John and Lucy Connor. She was the youngest of 13 children. At an early age, the family relocated to Washington, DC, where she attended DC Public Schools.

In her teenage years, Esther met Jerry Swinson, the love of her life in Washington, DC. They married and had two children, Turhan Terry Swinson and Valerie Vianna Swinson-Condell. They relocated to New York City, where they resided for several years until the unfortunate death of her mother, Lucy, in 1963. Esther moved her family back to Washington, DC, where she worked at Litton Amecom in College Park, Maryland, for over 35 years before retiring. Esther lived on T Street for most of her life. Her daughter, Valerie, cared for her well-being for more than twenty decades until she went home to be with the Lord, Christ Jesus.

Esther Swinson loved to dance, whether at a wedding or enjoying the town, and you could always catch Queen Esther on the dance floor. Esther also loved to bowl and travel to Atlantic City to play her favorite game, "Wheel of Fortune," with her son, Terry. Esther enjoyed her retirement years, and when she wasn't bowling, dancing, or at the casino, she loved traveling to Las Vegas, Hawaii, and Italy with her daughter, Valerie.

Esther accepted Jesus Christ at an early age, and after relocating to Washington, DC, she later joined Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, NW Washington, on April 11, 1999.  She was a faithful member for twenty-two years, a member of Family Unit 2, known as Guild 2, and a member of the Charity Ministry.  She was especially fond of her Pastor, Rev. Tyrone Queen.  Esther knew the power of prayer and kept praying until the Lord called her home on Monday evening, November 1, 2021.

Esther Connor Swinson, the last of the Connor children, gained her Crown of Glory." ¹² Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him" James 1:12

Queen Esther was preceded in death by her parents, John and Lucy Connor, her siblings Ollie, Nanny, Fanny, Elsie, Catherine, Evelyn, Lillian, Minnie, Ed, Robert, Jimmy, Guy, her granddaughter, Erikka Hayes, goddaughter, Paulette Smith, and godson, Brian Cooper.

She leaves to cherish her joyful memories, her son, Turhan Terry Swinson (Valerie Swinson/Norma Swinson-Williams) and daughter, Valerie Vianna Swinson-Condell (Nigel Condell); her grandchildren, Lakesha Swinson-Sheppard (Tyran Sheppard), Jedaka Mundey (Kenneth Mundey, Sr.), Brittany Swinson-Sumpter (Johnny Sumpter), Natasha Oliver (Andrew Watts-Curnow), Lorrell Walker, Larrell Walker, Jr. (Anisha Dawson), Maria Green-Condell, and Kirsten Shannon. Her great-grandchildren, Imari Allen, JaVon Hayes, Dyani Sheppard, Sanaa Sheppard, Jordan Hayes, Jayden Hayes, Michai Austin, Madison Sheppard, Kenneth Mundey, Jr., Larrell Walker III, Jayden Wilson, Londyn Wilson, Jose Foster, Chancellor, and Aliyah Walker; a host of nephews, nieces, and cousins of the McWilliams, the Holland, the Berch, the Whitfield, and the Winbush families.

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